Blitzboks win bronze medal at Olympics, end season on a high

JOHANNESBURG - Team South won its first medal at the Olympic Games.

The SA Rugby Sevens team beat Australia 26-19 in a thrilling bronze medal match to end their season on a high.

They had lost 19-5 to hosts France in the semi-final, but only hours later regrouped to beat their fierce rivals and claim the bronze medal. Men’s rugby sevens also won bronze at the 2016 Rio Games.

France won Gold, captained by Antoine Dupont, and lifted by an expectant 60,000 crowd who had come out on a wet and overcast day to support their side. They came from 7-0 down to upset Fiji 28-7.

The Blitzboks entered the Olympic tournament as the final qualifier, winning the repechage tournament in Monaco less than a month ago after failing to qualify automatically.

South Africa's women's sevens team will take on Australia and Ireland in Paris on Sunday.

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