1999 South Africa Sevens

1999 South Africa Sevens
IRB Sevens I
Host nation South Africa
Date10–11 December 1999
Cup
Champion Fiji
Runner-up New Zealand
Plate
Winner Australia
Runner-up Samoa
Bowl
Winner Tonga
Runner-up Argentina
Tournament details
Matches played41
2000

The 1999 South Africa Sevens was an annual rugby sevens tournament that took place at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch between 10 and 11 December 1999.[1][2] It was the first edition of the South Africa Sevens with it being the second leg of the 1999–2000 World Sevens Series. Sixteen teams competed in the tournament and were divided into four groups of four with the top two teams qualifying for the quarter-finals.

The hosts, South Africa were eliminated in the semi-finals before Fiji defeated New Zealand 12–10 in the final to win their first sevens title for the series. Australia took home the plate while Tonga won the bowl.[2]

Stellenbosch only hosted the South Africa Sevens tournament for one season and the event moved to Durban for the 2000–01 series.

Teams

Sixteen teams competed in the South Africa Sevens with the South African Rugby Union inviting eight teams to fill in the draw. These teams were Georgia, Japan, Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, Tonga, Uruguay and Zimbabwe.[3]

Format

The pool stage was played on the first day of the tournament. The 16 teams were separated into four groups of four teams and teams in the same pool played each other once. The top two teams in each pool advanced to the Cup quarterfinals to compete for the 1999 South Africa Sevens title.[3]

Summary

The opening day of the tournament saw Fiji setting the pace with the team only conceding ten points (against Canada throughout the group stage after comfortably defeating Japan (52–0) and Namibia (56–0) earlier in the day. Dubai champions, New Zealand also won their group despite the slow start over Zimbabwe as they finished ahead over Georgia who had shocked Argentina in the opening match of Pool B.[4] Morocco who was an unknown in the rugby sevens shocked everyone by topping Pool C defeating Australia in the opening game by sevens points before topping the group with wins over France and Tonga. South Africa finished ahead of Samoa in Pool D with the Boks defeating them 12–7 after earlier recordings wins against Kenya and Uruguay.[4]

The second day saw Fiji began with a physically demanding victory over Samoa as they would go on to advance to the cup final defeating Georgia in the semi-finals who had earlier defeated Morocco in the quarter-finals 17–0. They went on to meet New Zealand in the final after they defeated Australia in the quarter-finals and the hosts in the semis. After losing Waisale Serevi through a hand injury, Fiji trailed New Zealand by three points heading into the change over. Filimoni Delasau though would score the match winner as he recorded his 13th try of the tournament and give Fiji the victory 12–10.[5] In the minor placings, Australia defeated Samoa by three points in the plate final with the bowl final being won by Tonga who defeated a fast finishing Argentina squad 31–24.[5]

Pool stage

Key to colours in group tables
Teams that advanced to the Cup quarterfinals
Teams that advanced to the Bowl quarterfinals

Pool A

Team Pld W D L PF PA +/- Pts
 Fiji 3 3 0 0 136 10 +126 9
 Canada 3 2 0 1 81 54 +27 7
 Namibia 3 1 0 2 41 99 −58 5
 Japan 3 0 0 3 19 114 −95 3

Source: World Rugby

10 December 1999
Fiji 52–0 Japan
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Canada 31–19 Namibia
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Canada 40–7 Japan
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Fiji 56–0 Namibia
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Namibia 22–12 Japan
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Fiji 28–10 Canada
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

Source: World Rugby

Pool B

Team Pld W D L PF PA +/- Pts
 New Zealand 3 3 0 0 90 21 +69 9
 Georgia 3 2 0 1 45 55 -10 7
 Zimbabwe 3 1 0 2 43 71 −28 5
 Argentina 3 0 0 3 35 66 −31 3

Source: World Rugby

10 December 1999
Georgia 21–14 Argentina
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
New Zealand 33–14 Zimbabwe
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Zimbabwe 19–14 Argentina
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
New Zealand 31–0 Georgia
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
New Zealand 26–7 Argentina
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Georgia 24–10 Zimbabwe
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

Source: World Rugby

Pool C

Team Pld W D L PF PA +/- Pts
 Morocco 3 3 0 0 45 19 +26 9
 Australia 3 2 0 1 64 55 +9 7
 France 3 1 0 2 46 52 −6 5
 Tonga 3 0 0 3 31 60 −29 3

Source: World Rugby

10 December 1999
France 22–12 Tonga
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Morocco 19–12 Australia
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Morocco 14–7 France
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Australia 26–19 Tonga
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Morocco 12–0 Tonga
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Australia 26–17 France
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

Source: World Rugby

Pool D

Team Pld W D L PF PA +/- Pts
 South Africa 3 3 0 0 80 7 +73 9
 Samoa 3 2 0 1 80 17 +63 7
 Uruguay 3 1 0 2 22 74 −52 5
 Kenya 3 0 0 3 10 94 −84 3

Source: World Rugby

10 December 1999
Samoa 33–5 Uruguay
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
South Africa 37–0 Kenya
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Samoa 40–0 Kenya
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
South Africa 31–0 Uruguay
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
Uruguay 17–10 Kenya
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

10 December 1999
South Africa 12–7 Samoa
Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch

Source: World Rugby

Finals

Bowl

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 
 Namibia21
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 Kenya20
 
 Namibia12
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 Argentina24
 
 Argentina19
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 France10
 
 Argentina26
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 Tonga31
 
 Uruguay20
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 Japan12
 
 Uruguay5
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 Tonga33
 
 Tonga28
 
 
 Zimbabwe10
 

Source: World Rugby

Plate

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 
 Samoa26
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 Morocco7
 
 Samoa19
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 Australia22
 
 Canada12
 
 
 Australia36
 

Source: World Rugby

Cup

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 
 Fiji17
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 Samoa14
 
 Fiji33
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 Georgia5
 
 Georgia17
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 Morocco0
 
 Fiji12
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 New Zealand10
 
 South Africa17
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 Canada7
 
 South Africa0
 
11 December – Stellenbosch
 
 New Zealand26
 
 New Zealand22
 
 
 Australia14
 

Source: World Rugby

Tournament placings

Place  Team Points
1st place, gold medalist(s)  Fiji 20
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  New Zealand 16
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Georgia 12
 South Africa 12
5  Australia 8
6  Samoa 6
7  Canada 4
 Morocco 4
Place  Team Points
9  Tonga 2
10  Argentina 0
11  Namibia 0
 Uruguay 0
13  France 0
 Japan 0
 Kenya 0
 Zimbabwe 0

Source: Rugby7.com[6]

References

  1. ^ "Sport briefs". Newcastle Herald. Fairfax. 8 December 1999. p. 89. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b "IRB Sevens I - Stellenbosch, South Africa. 12/10/1999 - 12/11/1999". rugby7.com. 1999. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Fiji top seeds for Stellenbosch". International Rugby Board. 24 November 1999. Archived from the original on 1 July 2001.
  4. ^ a b "Fiji set the pace on day one". International Rugby Board. 10 December 1999. Archived from the original on 1 July 2001.
  5. ^ a b "Fiji avenge Dubai with win over New Zealand in Stellenbosch". 11 December 1999. Archived from the original on 1 July 2001. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  6. ^ "IRB Sevens Standings". Rugby 7. 2000. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
IRB Sevens I
Preceded by 1999 South Africa Sevens Succeeded by
South Africa Sevens
Preceded by
First
1999 South Africa Sevens Succeeded by
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