We round up the latest results from the Currie Cup on a weekend that saw the Hollywoodbets Sharks deal the Golden Lions their first defeat of the season, while the Blitzboks finished as bronze medallists at the Paris Olympics.
CURRIE CUP R4: Hollywoodbets Sharks come good in Jozi
Owing to the absence of a number of senior players due to either international or resting protocol commitments, JP Pietersen was forced to name a matchday squad with an average age of just 23 for their daunting trip to Ellis Park. While many had written off the winless Durban outfit before the game had even begun, a side consisting of as many as seven debutants went on to produce a fantastic performance and ultimately claim a much-needed 35-22 win. The men in black and white were buoyed by a brace of tries by Junior Bok midfielder Jurenzo Julius as the side rallied to what could be a campaign-shaping victory.
Elsewhere, the Free State Cheetahs nearly blew a 33-0 lead in an eventual 47-45 win over a brilliant Griffons outfit in Welkom; the Blue Bulls remain unbeaten following their 50-34 victory over Western Province in Pretoria and the Pumas were far too good for Griquas in a 66-26 thrashing in Mbombela.
More action in the final moments than some games have in all 80 minutes 😲🏉#CarlingCurrieCup pic.twitter.com/deEAM3olOt
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 26, 2024
PARIS SEVENS: Blitzboks win bronze as Dupont inspires France to glory
After falling to France 5-19 in the gold medal semi-finals, South Africa produced a magnificent showing to see off six-man Australia 26-19 and secure their second Olympic bronze medal. The result was well-deserved for a side that had been beaten by New Zealand and Ireland in their opening two matches and is just reward for coach Phillip Snyman and his team, who had to overcome more than their fair share of adversity in the build-up to the event.
In the gold medal match, Antoine Dupont came off the bench to bag two tries and an assist as hosts France beat Fiji 28-7. The result marked Fiji’s first loss in an Olympic match as the French, who had been beaten by the Pacific Islanders earlier in the tournament and hadn’t even qualified for the last Olympic showpiece, made history, with that man Dupont again producing Leo Messi-levels of sorcery.
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞: the Blitzboks on the podium at #Paris2024 👏#CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/mjqDcG7fDs
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 27, 2024
