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| Selvyn Davids (Gallo Images) |
The Blitzboks got off to the perfect start, scoring through Selvyn Davids in 1st minute.
Davids added the conversion for South Africa to lead 7-0.
A full strength Fiji side hit back in the 3rd minute when Kalione Nasoko forced his way over in the left-hand corner for an unconverted score.
With the Blitzboks under immense pressure from the physical Fijians, a breakaway by Stedman Gans saw Davids over the Fijian tryline for a brilliant unconverted score and a 12-5 lead.
More brilliant defence, this time after the first half hooter had sounded saw South Africa quickly shift play all the way up the field for Davids to secure an emphatic hat-trick.
An added conversion meant the Blitzboks led Fiji 19-5 at half-time.
Fiji needed to score early in the second half and they did with Samisoni Viriviri cruising over between the posts for a converted score which brought them straight back into the game at 19-12.
Another try, this time straight from the kick-off through Amenoni Nasilasila tied the score up at 19-19 with four minutes to play.
Nasilasila added a second, this time crashing over in the left-hand corner as the Blitzboks excellent defence from earlier simply had no answer to the flair, pace and physicality of the Fijians.
Nasilasila added a conversion from the touchline to give Fiji a 26-19 lead with two minutes to play.
But the Blitzboks were not done with Muller du Plessis crossing the whitewash with a minute to go.
Davids missed with his conversion attempt as Fiji led by a slender two-point margin, 26-24, a lead they kept till the final hooter.
The Blitzboks will now play in the Bronze final after Kenya defeated New Zealand, 21-12 in the other semi-final.
That match kicks off at 12:30 (SA time). PLACE YOUR AD CODE HERE