The Blitzbokke booked their place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics despite a disappointing showing at the London Sevens this weekend.
South Africa crashed out of the cup quarterfinal after a 29-22 defeat to losing finalists Australia at Twickenham on Sunday after topping their group on Saturday. Fiji won the tournament.
Neil Powell’s manne had the perfect start to the tournament, winning their pool by smashing Japan 49-0, Canada 45-14 and Argentina 40-12 in Day One action but they were undone in their very first test of the knockouts by a rampant Wallabies side.
The Boks found themselves two tries behind before Shakes Soyizwapi and Justin Geduld hit back.
It wasn’t the end of the Aussie onslaught, as they scored again after the hooter to take a 19-12 lead into the break.
And they didn’t lose their momentum after that, running in two more tries at the start of the second half to lead 29-12.
While the Boks hit back through replacements Muller du Plessis and JC Pretorius, it was too little too late.
The Boks finished the tournament with 10 log points, clinching Olympic qualification, after going down 19-12 in a see-saw clash to New Zealand in the fifth-place semifinal.
After going behind 7-0, a Du Plessis brace of tries had SA 10-7 ahead.
But substitute Andrew Knewstubb came off the bench to edge the Kiwis ahead before Stedman Gans’ converted try had SA leading 17-12, before veteran Tim Mikkelson stole the game at the death.
Team Points
1. Fiji 164
2. USA 162
3. New Zealand 143
4. South Africa 131
5. England 109