Argentina wins the men's title and New Zealand wins the women's crown at the Vancouver Sevens

VANCOUVER (AP) — Argentina held off South Africa to win the men's title and New Zealand beat Fiji to claim the women's title Sunday at the Vancouver Sevens, the fourth leg of rugby's World Sevens Series.

Luciano Gonzalez scored two first-half tries and Tobias Wade scored immediately after the break as Argentina opened a 19-0 lead over South Africa in the men's final.

South Africa rallied with tries to Quewin Nortje and Siviwe Soyizwape before Gonzalez claimed a late turnover which helped Argentina seal a 19-12 win.

It was Argentina's fourth successive title in Vancouver and its first win in six finals against South Africa.

“I'm very happy, very proud of my team. All the team, all the staff and all the work we do here to finish on top," Argentina captain Santiago Mare said. “I don't know what it is about this city and this stadium but we are very happy to stay here and play rugby here.”

Argentina's win took it clear atop the season standings with 68 points, ahead of Spain with 64 and Fiji and South Africa with 62. Spain beat Fiji 22-7 in the playoff for third.

New Zealand beat Fiji 41-7 in the women's final after leading 22-0 at halftime. It was New Zealand's third consecutive title in Vancouver.

Risi Pouri-Lane and Manaia Nuku scored early tries while Fiji had a player in the sin-bin. Stacey Waaka and Georgia Miller added tries before the break.

Michaela Brake scored the first try of the second half, her 10th of the tournament and her 264th in the World Series, extending her all-time record.

Sesenila Donu scored for Fiji before Maia Davis and Mahina Paul added tries for New Zealand.

“We love coming here to Vancouver. It would be one of our favorite spots,” New Zealand captain Sarah Hirini said. "It's nice to get the win here again.

“We don't take our Fijiana sisters lightly and we must congratulate them on reaching a pretty cool Oceania final.”

Olympic champion New Zealand leads the women's standings with 76 points ahead of Australia with 70 and France with 52.

Australia finished in third place in Vancouver and host Canada beat the United States 27-10 in a seventh-place playoff.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Fiji's Sera Bolatini vies for the ball as Japan's Suzuha Okamoto watches during a Vancouver Sevens semifinal rugby match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

New Zealand's Jazmin Felix-Hotham blocks Canada's Florence Symonds during Vancouver Sevens quarter final women's rugby match in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Oliva Apps dives after New Zealand's Michaela Brake during Vancouver Sevens quarter final women's rugby match in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

South Africa's Donavan Don celebrates with David Brits after defeating Fiji during a Vancouver Sevens semifinal rugby match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

Spain's Anton Legorburu, left, chases Argentina's Marcos Moneta, right, during a Vancouver Sevens semifinal rugby match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

WADI AD-DAWASIR, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saood Variawa snatched stage eight from South African compatriot Henk Lategan by three seconds after an impressive comeback drive in the Dakar Rally on Monday.

Variawa, only 20 and driving in his third Dakar, started 26th and was in sixth place with 100 kilometers to go in the 483-kilometer loop outside Wadi ad-Dawasir. Then he was third after 414 and second after 448.

For the second straight day Lategan had a stage win ripped from his grasp. On Sunday his Toyota's rear damper broke 30 kilometers from the finish.

Meanwhile, Luciano Benavides became the overall motorbike leader for the first time in his ninth Dakar after winning a second straight stage and gobbling up all 7 1/2 minutes in bonus time for faultlessly opening the way.

Benavides won the stage by 4:50 over KTM teammate and defending champion Daniel Sanders and replaced Sanders atop the overall by 10 seconds going into the two-day marathon stage.

Monday's stage, the longest of the race, had a cocktail of dunes, valleys and rocks but navigation was easier than expected and it turned into a fast, wind-whipped special.

The top five cars — featuring main title contenders Lategan, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mattias Ekström — were less than a minute apart for the first 400 kilometers until Al-Attiyah's navigation error suddenly dropped him two minutes behind.

Thanks to starting nearly an hour after the opener, Ekström, Variawa sneaked through for his second career stage win. The first last year at 19 made him the youngest stage winner in Dakar history.

Variawa, following his father Shameer as a Dakar racer, suffered tire, navigation and mechanical problems on Sunday but got his Toyota back up to 13th overall with the aim of a maiden top-10 finish.

Al-Attiyah's Dacia got about 45 seconds back in the closing section to finish fifth and limit his time losses to remain the overall leader by four minutes over Ekström, whose Ford was third on the stage, and six minutes over Lategan.

Nani Roma fell from third to fourth, 9 1/2 minutes back, and Ford teammate Carlos Sainz was another minute behind. It's the closest top five after eight stages in 26 years.

The motorbikes of Sanders and Ricky Brabec were quicker in real time but the seven-plus minutes in time bonuses for opening the dusty track helped Benavides win by the same margin he did on Sunday, nearly five minutes.

“These last two stages were a little bit more fast and in these conditions I can read the roadbook super, super good and make good decisions,” Benavides said.

He has eight career motorbike stage wins, three behind his brother Kevin, the champion in 2021 and 2023.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Rider Tosha Schareina competes during the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally with a start and finish at Wadi Ad Dawasir, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Jan.12, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Rider Ricky Brabec competes during the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally with a start and finish at Wadi Ad Dawasir, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Jan.12, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz compete with riders David Brock, bottom right, and Fernando Dominguez, top left, during the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally with a start and finish at Wadi Ad Dawasir, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Jan.12, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Driver Romain Dumas and co-driver Alex Winocq compete with riders David Brock, right, and Fernando Dominguez, in the background, during the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally with a start and finish at Wadi Ad Dawasir, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Jan.12, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Driver Saood Variawa and co-driver Francois Cazalet compete during the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally with a start and finish at Wadi Ad Dawasir, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Jan.12, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)