That was the view of head coach Renfred Dazel after they arrived back in SA on Tuesday evening following a two long haul flights from Los Angeles.  

SA progressed to the playoffs from their pool in Los Angeles, but came up short against Kenya, which means they will have to take the continental route to qualify for the HSBC SVNS sponsorship, second division next season.  

"We did have the opportunity to qualify, but soft moments cost us dearly," said Dazel.  

"Two key players were ruled out of the final match against Kenya in Los Angeles due to injury, but the red card conceded with two minutes left was just a bridge too far. 

"In fact, in all three matches we lost to Kenya this year, soft moments proved the difference." 

The season started well enough, ironically with a win over Kenya in the final of their first tournament. The Bok Women won the Rugby Africa Women's Sevens title in Ghana, placed third and second in the first two World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger Series tournaments at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, before winning the third in Krakow, Poland. 

Good wins over Ireland and Argentina at the HSBC SVNS Play-off tournament in Los Angeles placed them on the brink of qualification to the second tier of the newly-announced sevens series, but the late try conceded against Kenya in their final match cost them the game and tournament spot. 

--SABC--