Fiji dismantled Pacific Island neighbours New Zealand 29-12 in the Rugby World Cup (RWC) Sevens final on Sunday night at Cape Town Stadium to claim the men’s crown.

The Australian women’s team celebrate their victory at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 on 11 September 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Leila Dougan)

Australia’s women had a tougher time in downing old rivals New Zealand 24-22 in a thrilling contest.

The victory meant Fiji drew level — with three RWC Sevens trophies apiece — with New Zealand. New Zealand were looking to be the first side to make it three RWC Sevens triumphs on the trot, a feat their women failed to achieve moments before.

Fiji’s Joseva Talacolo in action during the final against the New Zealand All Blacks at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 on 11 September 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Leila Dougan)

However, the All Black Sevens were outplayed on every front. The strength, pace and skill of the Fijians were in full flow throughout the tournament — beating Samoa 21-10 in the quarterfinal and Australia 38-14 in the semifinal — but they showed their true championship credentials when it mattered most. 

When Fiji are at their best they are almost impossible to stop. And in the first half, they were at their very best.

Elia Canakaivata for Fiji in action during the final match at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 on 11 September 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Leila Dougan)

Fiji scored within 30 seconds of kick-off. A sign of things to come as they ran in four first-half tries from Joseva Talacolo, Elia Canakaivata, Filipe Sauturaga and Kaminieli Rasaku to take a 24-5 halftime lead.

Iosefo Masikau Baleiwairiki of Fiji and Akuila Rokolisoa during the final match at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 on 11 September 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Leila Dougan)

Fiji fans celebrate their win at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 on 11 September 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Leila Dougan)

The All Black Sevens struck back early in the second half with a seven-pointer by Akuila Rokoliso to add to Moses Leo’s first-half strike, but the writing was already on the wall. 

Injured All Black Lewis Ormond is helped off the pitch by Fiji’s Filipe Sauturaga and Jerry Tuwai during the final at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 on 11 September 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Leila Dougan)

A thrilling second half with offloads flying everywhere only produced two tries — one for each team. But the crowd got their money’s worth in terms of entertainment.

Advance Australia Flair 

Australia’s Dominique du Toit and New Zealand’s Shiray Kaka during the final match between New Zealand and Australia at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 on 11 September 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Leila Dougan)

Australia’s women, inspired by the exceptional Maddison Levi, secured a thrilling 24-22 win over arch-rivals New Zealand to become women’s world champions. 

This growing rivalry was as close as expected and in the end, the difference was a missed conversion by Tenika Willison. Her kick cut across the face of the uprights from an angle that would normally be considered easy. But under the pressure of trying to take the game further, the unfortunate Willison faltered.

She was left distraught as the ball sailed wide, but her teammates — to a woman — rushed to console the sobbing playmaker. It was an uplifting sight in the most painful of moments for Willison.

Michaela Blyde during the final match between New Zealand and Australia at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 on 11 September 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Leila Dougan)

The Australia team, by contrast, were a picture of unrestrained joy as they formed a mass pile-on to celebrate what in truth was a deserved win.

Levi, a former dancer and Aussie Rules player, is such an elegant athlete. She is tall with a huge stride and covers the ground with breathtaking speed. 

She was perhaps the face of the women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens, but in truth, the entire tournament was a victory for the women’s game. South Africa is behind countries such as Australia, England and New Zealand in embracing the women’s game, but it was clear fans loved it. 

The Australian women’s team celebrate their victory over New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 on 11 September 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Leila Dougan)

The skills, talent, commitment and structure of the leading woman’s teams was on a par with anything the men could dish up, and the fans recognised that. 

Even Imbokodo, South Africa’s women’s team, gained new fans and appreciation. The gradual professionalisation of women’s rugby in South Africa is years behind Australia and New Zealand, but the South African women played with such heart.

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The Bok Sevens women lost three of their four matches at the RWC Sevens — against France (29-0), Japan (14-12) and China (21-19). However, their opposition all have full-time Sevens programmes with contracted players.

“In two of our three losses, we were very, very competitive against full-time programmes with massive budgets — where we have nothing,” a frustrated Imbokodo coach Paul Delport said.

“It’s testament to the ladies’ character and to their ability as rugby players and also how quickly they’ve adapted.” 

The difference showed in the competition and none was underlined more starkly than the two teams in the final. They were simply several notches above the rest. 

In the final, Levi used her searing pace to score two first-half tries to give the Aussies a 12-10 halftime lead.

Fiji fans celebrate their win at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 on 11 September 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Leila Dougan)

New Zealand, the defending world sevens champions, opened the scoring through Kelly Brazier and added another try on the brink of halftime from Staci Fluhler.

But after the break Australia, undoubtedly the form team at the tournament, took what proved to be an unassailable lead with two further tries. 

Faith Nathan scored Australia’s third with New Zealand down to six players after Niall Williams was yellow-carded for foul play. Australia made that advantage count. 

Levi scored her third, which Sharni Williams converted to put Australia in a 22-10 lead with four minutes to play. It appeared that was that. 

But New Zealand attacked with intent from the restart. Siray Kaka scored to bring the deficit within a converted try of forcing the game into extra time. 

As the clock wound down, New Zealand pushed Australia back. A series of penalties allowed them deep into Aussie territory and a minute after the hooter the gold defence finally broke as Alena Saili cut the line to score close to the uprights.

In the end, though, Willison blinked and the trophy went to Levi and Australian flair. Fair Dinkum.

Fan frustration

More than 105,000 people came through the turnstiles this weekend, according to SA Rugby president Mark Alexander — a record for a Sevens World Cup. Despite this, there were many empty seats across Cape Town Stadium when the kick-off for the final took place.

The crowd that was left in attendance surprisingly turned to support Fiji in the second half with loud chants for the small Island nation.

New Zealand has traditionally had a strong support base in Cape Town, but many in the crowd threw their support behind the entertaining Fijians when they got into their flowing best, tossing audacious offload after offload.

Throughout the weekend, spectators complained about the format of the tournament. One loss for any team meant they were immediately out of the running for the title.

Alan Gilpin, World Rugby Chief Executive, assured journalists on Sunday that the format — which is only being used for the second time, after 2018 — could still change in the future.

“This event is unique in terms of the number of teams that play in the RWC Sevens. We’ve got a format we only use, in this one, once every four years. The feedback we get from the teams and spectators we certainly take into account, so it’s not fixed at this time for the future,” said Gilpin.

The crowd made their frustrations felt when they made their way to the exit in masses after the Blitzboks seventh/eighth place playoff encounter against Argentina at 18:30.

In coach Neil Powell’s final match in charge of the Springbok Sevens, the Blitzboks produced their most comprehensive and clinical performance of the RWC Sevens against the South Americans. The hosts thumped Argentina 35-5 to secure seventh place at the RWC Sevens. DM