Blitzboks breeze into Paris semis

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The Blitzboks progressed to the semi-finals of the Paris Sevens by handing Samoa a 40-7 hammering in the quarter-finals on Sunday. DYLAN JACK reports.

Neil Powell’s men, the defending champions at the tournament, will face New Zealand in the semi-finals at 3:45pm. The other semi-final will see a potential playoff for the World Series title as Fiji take on the USA at 3:23pm.

As far as quarter-finals go, the Blitzboks’ performance was near perfect as they starved the Samoans of possession and punished the Pacific Islanders for pretty average defensive work, taking a 26-0 lead into half-time.

The Blitzboks got off to a great start, winning a turnover in the Samoa 22 before Branco du Preez put Justin Geduld in for a try. Du Preez then went over for a try of his own a minute later, after the Blitzboks won possession back off the kickoff.

Werner Kok was the next to score as the South Africans started to take control of the tie, opening up a 19-point gap over their opponents, before Geduld got his second just before the break.

Muller du Plessis made it an equally impressive start to the second half as he broke through three attempted tackles to dot down and all but dash hopes of a Samoan comeback.

There was a late cameo from veterans Philip Snyman and Cecil Afrika as the two combined to see Snyman add the sixth try, before Samoa got a consolation try after the hooter through Alamanda Matunga.

Photo: @Blitzboks/Twitter

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Dylan Jack