News24 | 'Proud' Blitzbok coach Snyman on bronze medal win: 'The moment belongs to the players'

Zain Davids of South Africa scores a try in the against Australia in the bronze medal match in Paris. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

• The Blitzboks won the bronze medal at the Olympic Rugby Sevens tournament in Paris on Saturday evening.
• They beat Australia 26-19.
• South Africa had to survive a spirited fightback from their opponents, who were reduced to six men after skipper Nick Malouf was sent off for a high tackle.
• For more Olympic news, visit our dedicated portal.

In a match that proved to be a cliffhanger, and despite an Australian red card in the second half that gave them a numerical advantage, the Blitzboks showed their character as they won the bronze medal in the Olympic Rugby Sevens tournament on Saturday evening in Paris.

With the match evenly poised at 7-5 in South Africa's favour, Australian skipper Nick Malouf received his marching orders for a high hit on Tiaan Pretorius.

The Blitzboks quickly used their extra man to run into a 19-7 lead as Zain Davids crossed the line twice. But Australia fought their way back into the match to tie things up at 19-19, only to suffer heartbreak as Shawn Williams scored after the final hooter following a break by Blitzboks skipper Selvyn Davids that set up a 26-19 win.

And as they say, the rest is history, as South Africa earned their second-ever Rugby Sevens bronze medal, with the first coming in Rio in 2016.

Interim coach Philip Snyman was full of praise for his squad, saying that the players should be given all the credit for their performance.

"We have great management, and this win was also for those back in South Africa, but the moment belongs to the players. I am so proud of them and what they achieved here today," said Snyman.

"We had our ups and downs, especially on the first day, but the way the team came back on the next two competition days made me so proud.

"We had our lapses and could have been in the final, but all that matters will be the bronze medals they earned today. It is so deserved to a group of guys who never stopped working and playing for their country.

For skipper Davids, completing the journey to a medal was a proud moment.

"We had to come such a long way and needed to qualify through the repechage tournament just to get to Paris, and we were the last team in," he said.

"We were almost down and out earlier in the year, but what a comeback and what a fight by this group. It is so satisfying to see us playing to our potential and be proud Olympic medallists.