Nadine Roos scored four tries as the Springbok Women’s Sevens broke their 2022 Sevens World Cup drought with a 13th/16th-place playoff victory over Columbia in Cape Town on Saturday afternoon.
The Imbokodo got their first win of the 2022 Sevens World Cup in style as sweeper Roos put on a masterclass, making big tackles on defence and incredible plays on attack.
“It’s always great to have a player like her in the team,” captain Sizo Solontsi said about Roos after the match.
“She brings that intensity every game and today she brought everything, that was it. That’s what we’ve got in the team if we just focus on what we do best.”
The Springbok Women’s Sevens won 27-0 and progress to play China in the 13th/14th-place decider on Sunday at 2:37pm.
After spending most of the first half on defence, the Imbokodo broke the deadlock when Roos won a turnover penalty, took a quick tap and burst through a gap to score, before converting her own try.
Roos soon after got her second and it was arguably the pick of the lot as she gathered a clearance inside her own half, ran across the field, followed her own pass and split the defence to put the Bok Women 12-0 up at half time.
If you want to get the home crowd excited, that’s certainly a way to do it! ??
Simply sensational from Nadine Roos ?#RWC7s | #HereToSevens pic.twitter.com/AvU5It4vhc
— Rugby World Cup 7s 2022 (@WorldRugby7s) September 10, 2022
The 26-year-old grabbed her hat-trick early in the second half, but was not done there as she sprinted clear down the left wing to score her fourth try.
Replacement playmaker Marthrin Simmers added a fifth try to all but seal the victory, before Roos was replaced to a standing ovation from the Cape Town Stadium crowd.
Roos said the hurt from losing their first two games drove them to lift their game against Colombia.
“I think it was a massive performance from the team, bouncing back from our losses against France and Japan – it hurt so much because we knew we had that game,” said Roos.
“It took massive regrouping from the team and coming back today to give this performance for this crowd, for the younger, little kids getting to watch this kind of performance.
“There are a lot of women’s teams who have performed really well and showcased the talent, and show the ladies that what is [going on] out here, is something they can chase after.”
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
