New Zealand scored three tries to hand the Blitzboks a second defeat on Wednesday and leave their medal hopes at the 2024 Olympic Games hanging by a thread.
A brace from Moses Leo and a Ngarohi McGarvey-Black touchdown helped secure a 17-5 win for the unbeaten Kiwis against South Africa at Stade de France in Paris.
Going into the game on the back of a pool opening loss (10-5) to Ireland, the South Africans needed a win to remain on track for a place in the quarter-finals.
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Philip Snyman’s charges must now beat Japan – who were thrashed 40-5 in their second match of the day – in their final Pool A match on Thursday at 4pm, and then hope to qualify for the knockout round in one of two berths reserved for the best third-place finishers in the pool stage.
Earlier, former World Player of the Year Antoine Dupont received a rapturous welcome from a raucous home crowd, scoring a vital try to help the host nation all but qualify for the playoffs.
Dupont played 12 minutes of the opening 12-12 Pool C draw against the US, the Americans scoring the equalising try after he had been subbed off.
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He again started the second match and crossed for a memorable five-pointer in a 19-12 victory over Uruguay, who lost their opener 40-12 to Fiji.
The result meant that the French, who face the Fijians in their final pool game on Thursday, were mathematically qualified for the knockout round later the same day.
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