Impi Visser had already crossed for the Blitzboks when Shilton van Wyk, the player of the final in 2022, touched down in the fifth minute to take the score to 12-0.

Argentinian Matías Osadczuk reduced the deficit to five points early in the second half, but there was still much game left and much to come back from.

Rosko Specman came within inches of a spectacular try but lost the ball (and collided with a security personnel) in the corner due to Agustín Fraga's great tackle, while South Africa resisted Argentina's comeback.

With the HSBC SVNS heading to South Africa next week, the title in Dubai could not have come at a better time for the champions, who will return home eager to delight their fans.

South Africa's interim coach, Philip Snyman, praised the "incredible performances of his team throughout the weekend." "We said we wanted to leave everything on the field," he said. "No matter what happens with the result: we want to look each other in the eyes and have a smile on our faces. Even with the yellow card tonight, they really played for each other, played for their jersey, and restored pride in the Springbok Sevens jersey."

The journey to the final was challenging, but South Africa is accustomed to winning tough matches, a characteristic that defines champions. They first had to secure an intense 14-7 victory over Fiji in the semifinals. The defending champions of Dubai 7s started after a remarkable comeback against New Zealand on the first day, with a comfortable quarterfinal win of 24-7 over Australia. "We knew the first game of the second day was the toughest and the most important."

Meanwhile, Argentina overcame a 14-0 deficit to win the quarterfinals against Samoa 21-14 and reach a semifinal against New Zealand. In the semifinal, 37-year-old Gastón Revol, in his 99th Series tournament, was the hero for Argentina, who came from behind to beat New Zealand 21-19 and reach their first final in Dubai.

BRONZE FINAL: All Blacks secure bronze in the closing moments. New Zealand defeated Fiji 17-12 in the bronze final.

Fineanganafo immediately said, "The boys were a bit disappointed after the semifinal. I think we recovered, and the boys will be happy for the rest of the night."

Ireland gains valuable points from HSBC SVNS. Levi Milford scored for Samoa in the last play of the fifth-place playoff against Ireland. It wasn't enough to win the game: Ireland won 28-7 to kick off their HSBC SVNS 2024 campaign with useful points.

Irishman Harry McNulty was pleased with his team's performance in Dubai but said they expected improvements next week. "We talked a lot about being consistent in every game; with each performance, you're improving a bit."

Australia's coach, John Manenti, admitted that his team's campaign in Dubai 7s had fallen below expectations, after securing seventh place with a 26-12 victory over the United States. Still, he said there was more to come from his young team. "It's a starting point," he said. "We have a lot of work to do."

Great Britain couldn't replicate its remarkable victory over Fiji on the opening day, finishing tenth after losing for the ninth place against France 22-0.

An exciting tiebreaker for 11th place between Spain and Canada, two teams that hadn't secured a win when they faced each other at dusk in Dubai, ended 19-14 in favor of the Spaniards.

Australia takes the title in the women's category.

Australia repeats for the fourth time in Dubai and wins at the start of HSBC SVNS 2024. This puts an end to New Zealand's streak of 41 consecutive victories. The final between the two teams started at an astonishing pace and showed no mercy.

Australia's captain, Charlotte Caslick, praised the young Levi. "It's incredible. She's had an amazing preseason, so we're all seeing the hard work she's put in this year." And she explained the game plan to become the first team to beat New Zealand since last year's final in Dubai: "We wanted to retain the ball as much as possible because we knew how dangerous they are. For us, it was crucial to restart and keep possession of the ball."