DOUGIE FIFE secured Scotland’s first-ever World Sevens Series title with a last-gasp try against South Africa at Twickenham and insisted there could be even greater things to come.
Calum MacRae’s side trailed 26-15 in the final with just 30 seconds left, but Fife, the wing who has just left Edinburgh, scored twice - with the second coming in added time – to secure a quite astonishing 27-26 victory.
"It is just an unbelievable feeling," said Fife. "This team have come a long way and we believe we can beat anyone on our day. I think we surprised a few people today."
Scotland thrashed England 17-0 in the quarter-finals before beating USA 24-17 in the semis to reach their first final at this level. Their best finish prior to yesterday in a World Series event was fourth.
The Scotland squad included just four players - Jamie Farndale, Gavin Lowe, Scott Riddell and Mark Robertson – to have been named in the 25-man squad that will compete for the 12 available places at the Olympic Games.
That collection of players will gather on May 30 for a seven-week training camp with questions now being asked over whether more Scots should have been called up.
"It has probably not sunk in yet," said Scott Wight, the Scotland captain. "We were a long way behind in the final, but we stuck to task and got there in the end.
"We had pictures up in the team room showing how close we were in Kenya and Singapore this year. We just said 'believe in one another'."
South Africa grabbed an early lead through Seabelo Senatla, but tries from Farndale and Wight gave Scotland a 10-7 half-time lead.
Converted scores from Roscko Speckman and Cecil Afrika put South Africa in control at 21-10 before James Fleming pulled it back to 21-15. Speckman's second try appeared to have put the Springboks out of sight, but Fife, who has won six Test caps, had other ideas.
Simon Amor, the England coach, was full of praise for the triumphant Scots.
"Scotland are a good team and you can't afford to give them time and space with the ball,” he said. "They moved us around brilliantly. We couldn't get our hands on the ball, and, in sevens, possession is everything."
Fiji won the all-round title as a result of making it to the quarter-finals of the Twickenham tournament.
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