HONG KONG - South Africa finally broke their duck by winning the Hong Kong Sevens for the first time as they overwhelmed title-holders Argentina 35-7 on Sunday to celebrate the showpiece event's 50th birthday in style.
A dominant New Zealand took the women's crown, their 19-14 win over old rivals Australia giving them a fourth Hong Kong title in a row.
It was the climax of three days of breathless rugby and partying in increasingly sweaty temperatures at a raucous Kai Tak Stadium.
Fireworks erupted into the night sky to bring the curtain down on Hong Kong's biggest annual party.
South Africa, the regular-season champions, had been beaten in four previous Hong Kong finals since making their debut in southern China in 1993.
"Special, we've been searching for this one," two-try final hero Selvyn Davids told AFP.
"A first time to win in Hong Kong, that's an amazing feeling."
South Africa came into Sunday's final as favourites and delivered emphatically in front of a packed crowd at the futuristic 50,000-capacity arena.
Some of Argentina's players were in tears at the pre-match national anthem, and they fell behind within the first minute as Tristan Leyds raced away to score and then converted himself.
Argentina struck back through Santino Zangara, only for Davids to restore the Blitzboks' lead.
They twisted the knife in the second half, Ryan Oosthuizen, Shilton van Wyk and Davids all going over.
"It's amazing to score, but all thanks to the team, they put me in the position to score," said the 32-year-old Davids.
"They are amazing, not only the 13 guys here, but everyone in the system, the guys that are pushing us back home to give our all.
"We know that if we don't perform, they are going to get the chance to play."
- Always in control -
In the women's main event, Olympic champions New Zealand were hot favourites to defend their crown successfully once again.
They faced Australia in a repeat of last year's final, with Mahina Paul, Jorja Miller and Kelsey Teneti all scoring.
Isabella Nasser went over for Australia in the first half and then Maddison Levi late on, but New Zealand were always in control.
The Hong Kong Sevens is the first of three events in a new format in which teams compete for the season-ending world championship.
The next leg is in Spain's Valladolid on May 29-31 before the grand finale in Bordeaux, France, on June 5-7.
Hong Kong is regarded as the "jewel in the crown" of sevens rugby because of its long history stretching back to 1976 and its immense popularity.
The first Hong Kong Sevens took place in front of a few thousand curious spectators, and some of the players wore gym shoes in the mud instead of rugby boots.
Fast forward half a century and it has grown into a sold-out three-day festival of global repute mixing sport with socialising and big business.
By Peter Stebbings
- Article by AFP