Aden Ekanayake, an Australian teenager with Sri Lankan roots, scored a dramatic overtime try, leading Australia to a thrilling victory over South Africa in the Perth Sevens cup semi-finals.
The crowd erupted in excitement as TV presenters shouted Ekanayake’s name following his match-winning try.
With this victory, Australia secured a spot in the final, where they will face Argentina.
Despite losing to Argentina 31-26 in their opening match and falling to South Africa 10-7 in pool play, Australia advanced to the Cup quarterfinals after defeating the USA 19-12.
The semi-final against South Africa was an intense, nail-biting match, with James Turner scoring first for Australia before Selvyn Davids equalized.
Maurice Longbottom missed a last-minute chance to seal the game for Australia, sending the match into extra time.
In overtime, Aden Ekanayake broke through the South African defense to score the decisive try, cementing his status as the hero of the match.
Australia’s victory sparked wild celebrations, with fans roaring in delight at the thrilling conclusion.
The Aussies now look ahead to the final showdown against Argentina to determine the SVNS Perth men’s champions.
