“My first time running with a rugby ball was at Loftus; it was a game of tag rugby back in 2015,” and ten years later, Patience Mokone is one step closer to realising a dream that began all those years ago.

The 23-year-old winger says she has always believed that she would become a Springbok, and for her, it was always a matter of where she would get that nod, either in the SVNS circuit or in the XV’s game.

It is this unwavering belief that has kept her chasing this dream since her teenage years, strongly motivated by the community she comes from.

“I always had this belief that I can become a Springbok, and this call up to be a part of this camp is exciting for me because it feels like a step closer to me realising this dream and goal I have been chasing for the last ten years,”

“I am from Soshanguve, a rough environment to grow up in. We do not see a lot of rugby players or role models coming out of my hood, and those two things have been my constant motivation because I believe that no one is limited by the environment they come from.”

Mokone adds: “I may be surrounded by negativity or bad news headlines about my neighborhood, but I can work hard and be an example of what is possible for the rest of the talent that is unseen from my streets.

"If I can make it to the Daisies and get the opportunity to be seen as worthy of a Springbok camp, I am sure I can help motivate the next child from Sosha to chase their dream, and that for me is an achievement.”

A CELEBRATION OF GRASSROOTS RUGBY

The Harlequins Rugby Club alumni is a celebration of grassroots rugby and accessibility to the game for young girls. In her short but bright professional career, she boasts magnificent numbers from a statistical perspective, featuring in 25 games for the two-time champions, 23 of which were starts.

Her 26 tries across the league make her a feared and respected opponent.

She credits her success to her family, teammates and coaches, who have all helped nurture her into the player she is becoming.

“My family has been an amazing support structure. They have always backed my choice of sport, and they have been supporting me throughout. When we are playing home games, they always make time to come watch.

"I consider myself lucky to be playing alongside some of the best players South Africa has playing rugby; they have raised the level at the Daisies, and this is how I have been able to become better,”

“I have also been very fortunate to have some amazing coaches who have mentored and pushed me to be the best version of myself. Their knowledge of the game has made a better athlete, so this is just as much of their moment as is mine,” she concludes.

The Free State Women won their first Women’s Premier Division match of the new season in dramatic fashion in Bloemfontein on Saturday, while the Bulls Daisies, DHL Western Province and the Sharks Women also scored significant victories in round three of the competition.

The Free Staters left it late to edge the Golden Lions Women 31-26 at Toyota Stadium, with a last minute try the ultimate reward, while the Sharks Women scored six tries in Pietermaritzburg to outplay the EP Queens 40-7, with the win moving them into second spot on the log.

Sanlam Boland Dames, who was undefeated going into the round and in second place, were mauled by the Bulls Daisies in a hot Wellington, with the home side going down 50-22 at Boland Stadium.

The Daisies are now the only undefeated team left in the competition, as Border Ladies also came up short in Cape Town, where they were outplayed 29-12 by DHL Western Province.

The Daisies were out the blocks in their top-of-the-table clash in brilliant fashion, scoring five tries in the opening 30 minutes as Boland had no answer to the all-round attack from the defending champions.

They opened the scoring in the second minute when Sizophila Solontsi dotted down, with the industrious flanker also scoring her second on the half hour mark after Faith Tshauke, Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Micke Gunter all ran in tries.

Credit to the Dames though, who not only scored the final try of the half, but also the next 17 points of the second half after they managed to sort out their lineout woes, hold on to possession and move the ball to their outside backs, who scored three tries.

The last waltz belonged to the Daisies though, as they stepped on the gas again and romped away with two more tries and yet another 50 points scored.

DHL Western Province bounced back nicely from last weekend's defeat to outplay Border Ladies in a five tries to two victory at Hamiltons RFC in Green Point. Their set piece worked well in the first half and Thandile Mazwi drove over the line just over 20 minutes in to take a well-deserved lead. Donëy Fillies then finished off a good counter-attack to hand the Capetonians a 12-0 lead at the break.

Province had a great start in the second half, scoring three more tries as they secured the bonus point win. Border rallied late, scoring two tries, but by then, the win was securely in the bag for the hosts.

A try in the 79th minute by Vuyelwa Mosala secured the Free State Women a dramatic first win in the competition. The five-pointer concluded a tight encounter, where the home side had to come back from behind twice for the victory.

The visitors from Johannesburg looked all set to seal the game at the break as they held a comfortable 21-12 lead, but the Free State bench made a crucial impact, as the home side fought back well and took the lead in the 70th minute when Treidine Solomons barged over.

The Lions rallied to score three minutes later through their finishing expert Thobile Msizaswe to level the scores, only for Mosala to secure the win in the last minute.

The Sharks delivered a solid performance against the EP Queens in Pietermaritzburg. They controlled most of the game and used their territorial dominance and possession well.

Three first half tries confirmed their dominance and although the Queens scored first in the second half, the comeback was thwarted quickly with three more tries by the hosts. Mary Zulu scored 15 points and will be pleased with her running of the Sharks game.

SCORERS:

Sanlam Boland Dames 22 (5), Bulls Daisies 50 (36)

Boland – Tries: Nomawethu Mabenge, Theresa Ruiters, Lulu Tyibilika, Macaela Samboya. Conversion: Lara Schats

Bulls – Tries: Zintle Mpupha, Faith Tshauke (2), Sizophila Solontsi (2), Libbie Janse van Rensburg, Micke Gunter, Xolelwa Diliza. Conversions: Jakkie Cilliers (5).

DHL Western Province 29 (12), Border Ladies 12 (0)

WP – Tries: Thandile Mazwi, Lauren Adams, Luchell Hanekom, Donëy Filies, Mari Dalhouzie. Conversions: Kirsten Conrad (2).

Border – Tries: Aviwe Hlongwana (2). Conversion: Khanya Ketani.

Free State Women 31 (12), Golden Lions Women 26 (21)

Free State – Tries: Monique Reens (2), Monique Smith, Treidene Solomons, Vuyelwa Mosala. Conversions: Thamie Yako (3).

Lions – Tries: Xoliswa Khuzwayo, Sinalo Honono, Siyonela Macamba, Thobile Msizazwe. Conversions: Klarissa van der Linden (3).

Sharks Women 40 (19), EP Queens 7 (0)

Sharks – Tries: Nobuhle Mjwara, Mary Zulu, Kwanele Zungu, Owami Zikhali, Nomonde Mwanja, Nontobeko Mathupha. Conversions: Zulu (5).

EP – Try: Amber Olivier. Conversion: Yandisa Nobanda.

American rugby sevens star Ilona Maher will join 15-a-side club Bristol in January in a bid to play in next year's women's Rugby World Cup, the English club announced on Monday.

Maher, 28, helped the USA to a bronze medal at this summer's Olympic Games in Paris and is the sport's most popular player on social media.

"This is a huge coup to be able to bring Ilona Maher to Bristol Bears on a short-term deal," Bristol head coach Dave Ward said.

"She is one of the biggest names in women's sport, let alone rugby, and we believe she will add real value to our programme on and off the field."

Last week Maher finished second on US television show "Dancing with the Stars", and she was on the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition in July.

Maher has signed a three-month deal with Bristol ahead of the World Cup, which starts in England in August.

She made her 15-a-side debut for the USA in 2021.

"I am excited to join the Bristol Bears and put myself in the best position to earn a spot to represent USA in the 2025 Rugby World Cup alongside such a talented and driven group as the Bears," Maher said in a club statement.

Bristol's first game next month is on 4 January against local rivals and Premiership Women's Rugby champions Gloucester-Hartpury, in a repeat of last season's final.

The Bulls Daisies have signed Springbok outside back Chuma Qawe on an initial two-year deal.

Qawe - who has 11 international caps - joins her twin sister Chumisa at the home of champions.

The pair made a name for themselves by powering through the midfield, and they are now reunited in the capital.

“It will be good to play with my twin again,” says Qawe.

“We both love this game, and playing with each other should be a wonderful experience. It is also exciting to be a part of a championship-winning team, I hope to do my part in helping the team and also achieve more personal growth as a player. Looking at the coaches and the support environment, I also hope to become better from a skills point of view.”

The Debe Nek native made her Women’s Premier Division debut in 2018 and has represented Border, Western Province and Boland; all experience head coach Hayden Groepes hopes to get out of her.

“We are very happy to have Chuma join us; she is a Springbok who brings with her a good balance of experience and understanding of the game. She has a unique style that she brings, and that will help make our environment and team that much more versatile,”

“She covers fullback, centre and flyhalf, which bodes us well considering how we want to balance our squad capabilities. This becomes important in the context of the season ahead where we have to box smart.”

𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓!

We are thrilled to announce the signing of Springbok outside back 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮 𝗤𝗮𝘄𝗲 on an initial two-year deal. Chuma joins her twin sister Chumisa at the home of champions.

Read more 👉🏿 https://t.co/pq6l1dT6ms… pic.twitter.com/jMciUJap3h

— BullsDaisies (@BullsDaisies) November 21, 2024

The Bulls Daisies have acquired the services of junior Springbok Shaunique Alexander, who joins the club on an initial two-year deal.

The Gqeberha native arrives at the club having spent time with Eastern Province, where she made her Women’s Premier Division debut two seasons ago. The outside back says she is thrilled to be surrounded by the quality players in the Daisies camp.

“I am excited to be here, to play alongside amazing players. I have certain goals that I would like to achieve and the Daisies can help me grow to become a better player with more knowledge, skills and discipline because of the quality of this team from coaches to players.

“I am excited to get going and do my best to help the team achieve even greater things.”

Alexander’s head coach, Hayden Groepes, said: “We welcome Shaunique to the Bulls Daisies family. She is a highly rated and talented player who would be wanted by many franchises and so we are really delighted she chose to come and join us,”

“She fits the profile of a utility back that we were looking for and I am confident that her creativity and speed will add more fire to our arsenal.”

The Bulls Daisies acquired scrumhalf and former Junior Springbok Camelitha Malone's services on an initial two-year deal.

Malone arrives in the capital from Western Province, where she made her mark as an explosive attacking player. The former Brackenfell Rugby Club player had an impressive Women’s Premier Division debut in April, scoring a brace to set her team up for a comeback victory. That form continued throughout the season, posing a potent threat against her new teammates in the final, which left her new management convinced that she needed to become a Daisy.

“Camelitha had a stellar 2024 season, and we got to witness her prowess over two legs both home and away, and nothing phased her,” comments head coach, Hayden Groepes.

“We thought she would be a wonderful fit for our growing environment, and her desire to become better will do us a world of good as we march towards our goals for the coming season. She has some good company in her role, and that competition for places will make this team better and more driven.”

The Kraaifontein native says joining the Daisies will help her become a better athlete as she hopes to become the best in her position.

“I have set my goals pretty high and feel confident that I can achieve all of them under the guidance of the coaches here. I have admired their [Daisies] work ethic from an outsider’s perspective and I feel privileged that I now get to be inside, I can only become a better athlete,”

“I have my eyes set on being the best scrumhalf in South Africa and I am confident I can reach that dream here.”

The Bulls Daisies have appointed Owethu Sityata as the lead strength and conditioning coach on an initial two-year deal.

Prior to her arrival at Loftus, Sityata spent the last four seasons as the strength and conditioning coach of the Sharks Women and Academy. She has also served as the assistant S&C to the United States team during the WXV competition and also forms part of the under-18 and under-20 Springbok Women’s sides.

Sityata said the opportunity to contribute to the Daisies’ three-peat quest is an honour.

“I am a child from a small village whose dream of helping build women’s rugby just grew one step further. This opportunity is an honour to work with such a talented group of players and coaches. They have carved out an exciting path already over the last two seasons, and I look forward to contributing to their future success.

“I look forward to cultivating greatness and learning from these athletes myself.”

The Executive for Strategic Projects at the BBCo, Thando Manana, said Sityata is an exciting, fresh energy with an enormous task ahead of her.

“I am pleased to have Owethu join us and excited to see the impact she will be making on our side. She has a proven track record of being an outstanding S&C coach who maximises athletes' performance abilities, helping teams reach their true potential,” he said.

“She stands out in many ways, blending intelligence with a top-shelf work ethic and has a proven desire to be an elite strength and conditioning coach who develops programmes that breed successful athletes for franchise and country. The Daisies are in good hands.”

The defending SA Rugby Women’s Premier Division champions, the Bulls Daisies have bid farewell to six squad members by mutual consent.

The released players include Springbok Sevens trio Shiniqwa Lamprecht, Kyla de Vries and Simamkele Namba. Springbok XV duo Rumandi Potgieter, Unathi Mali, and TUKS Rugby alumni Lynn-Mari Subke all played a pivotal role in the Tshwane side’s charge for the two championships on the shelf.

Thando Manana, the Executive for Strategic Projects at the BBCo. says the outgoing Daisies have all served the club with distinction and should take pride in their contributions to the badge.

“We are saying goodbye to fantastic players and people who are loved by all of us. We have been on an incredible journey together where we have seen them give their all towards the progress and success of our side. The influence they have had on their teammates on and off the pitch has been immense,”

“I am thankful to the six ladies for believing in the project, their service and contributions towards the success of the club, their tireless service and patriotism to the badge over the last two seasons. They leave as double champions because they always offered us great commitment and quality during their stay in the capital,”

“I wish each one of them only the best for their future endeavours, they will always be a part of the Daisies family.”

Everyone at the club would like to thank Shiniqwa, Kat, Sima, Rumandi, Unathi and Lynn for their contributions during their time with the Daisies and wish them well for their future.

Springbok Women utility forward Sinzaso Mcatshulwa is looking forward to her stint at French club Lille Métropole RC Villeneuvois and departed South Africa with a clear objective – to improve as a player and grow as a person.

Mcatshulwa, who played 32 tests at flanker and three at lock (scoring 10 tries in the process), left Cape Town for Lille on Tuesday night determined to make the most of the opportunity that was presented a couple of months ago.

“The club contacted me on Instagram around May and started enquiring about my plans for the future,” said Mcatshulwa, who has played 53 games for DHL Western Province.

“During the Africa Cup in Madagascar, we shared numbers and they started with negotiations. And now I am going there till June next year.”

The versatile forward travelled to France in 2019 as a member of the Springbok Women's Sevens team who won tournaments in Paris and Nancy, and again in 2021 with the Springbok Women, where they played against France in Vannes.

“It is a nice country with a nice vibe in the women’s game, although at the time of me being there, I did not think like about playing there,” she said. “But when the offer came, I said to myself I like France, let me go and see and how it will be playing there.”

FIRSTS FOR MCATSHULWA

Mcatshulwa will celebrate her 28th birthday on 24 December and will spend Christmas away from loved ones this year, but that is all part and parcel of being a professional player, she acknowledged. She will be the first Springbok Women’s player to play for a French club.

Babalwa Latsha and Danelle Lochner (Harlequins Women), Lindelwa Gwala (Ealing Trailfinders Women), Catha Jacobs (Leicester Tigers Women) and Amber Schonert (Sale Sharks Women) are current Springbok Women players in England.

“I did speak to them, and they warned me it is going to be tough in the first couple of months, but also gave me good advice on how to counter being home sick,” Mcatshulwa smiled.

“The language will be an issue I know, but that is all part of the challenge. I wanted to broaden my horizons a bit and push my comfort zones. I am just happy that rugby provided me with that opportunity.”

The club season has started in France and for the flanker it will be straight into the thick of things: “I am fit and ready and getting onto the field and playing soon will help me get into the whole experience much easier.”

The fact that the Springbok Women will be playing the French in next year’s Rugby World Cup is more recent news, but something that will motivate her, Mcatshulwa said: “I can test myself early against those French players that I will play against and that will be part of my motvation, to lay down a marker against them for later.”

Her long association with DHL Western Province will be another motivation.

“I want to play for them as well, they have been part of my journey for so many years,” she said. “And hopefully, early next year during the Women’s Premier Division, they will deliver some special performances on my behalf.”

The French club, who won the national title in 2016, is in a rebuilding phase and Mcatshulwa will boost their ranks. They have among others, Canadian prop Alexandria Ellis, French sevens player Alycia Chrystiaens and French U20 representative Hina Ikahehegi on their books. Scotland’s current test captain, Jade Konkel, and fullback Chloe Rollie also had stints with the club in the past.

The Springbok Women will play Brazil in their opening match of the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England, facing their Pool D opponents for the first time at Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton on Sunday 24 August.

South Africa will then travel north to York for their second pool match, where they will meet Italy at the York Community Stadium on 31 August, before returning to Northampton for their final pool match, against France on Sunday, 7 September, at Franklin's Gardens.

World Rugby announced the fixture list of the global showpiece on Tuesday, with hosts England opening the tournament against the USA at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, near Newcastle in the north of the country, on Friday, 22 August 2025.

The defending champions, New Zealand, will begin their campaign against Spain at York Community Stadium two days later, on the same day that South Africa will face Brazil.

Springbok Women High performance coach Swys de Bruin said the planning for the campaign has started and although some details of warm-up matches and tours are still being finalised, it is good to know exactly what is coming their way during the Rugby World Cup.

“Brazil will be a fresh challenge, as we have not played them at all, while we have clearer and more recent pictures of Italy and France, so we know we will have to prepare well,” said De Bruin.

“It is also nice to be able to play two matches at Franklin’s Gardens, a proud English rugby venue, and we are looking forward to the York visit as well. All in all, with regards to the draw and schedule, it is really a satisfactory outcome for us and the challenge will be to use that to our advantage.

“We certainly hope for good support from South Africans residing in the UK to come out and enjoy the journey with us. We are determined to come back home next year with our best RWC result ever.”

The match schedule for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 has been confirmed 🏆

The Springbok Women are in Pool D with Brazil, Italy and France 🇿🇦

They will play their games across three consecutive Sundays 📆#HereForHer | #RWC2025 pic.twitter.com/p5mxfnvAE3

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 22, 2024

Springbok Women RWC 2025 Pool D fixtures:

South Africa v Brazil

Date: Sunday 24 August

Venue: Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton

Kick-off: 2:45pm (3:45pm SA time)

Italy v South Africa

Date: Sunday 31 August

Venue: York Community Stadium, York

Kick-off: 3:30pm (4:30pm SA time)

France v South Africa

Date: Sunday 7 September

Venue: Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton

Kick-off: 4:45pm (5:45pm SA time)

The match schedule has been developed with team and fan experience at heart, with exciting matchups in each of the eight host locations, family friendly kick-off times and optimised team travel.

Six double header fixtures will take place during the pool stages, generating a festival atmosphere in the host locations and creating a day-out for families and local communities.

Aligned with World Rugby standards, each team will also benefit from a minimum of six rest days between pool matches enabling the world’s top teams to prepare and perform at their best.

The close defeat to Italy – similiarly to last weekend’s match against Australia – shows that the Springbok Women have become a very competitive team on the international stage, but according to Swys de Bruin, they are not in a position to win the Rugby World Cup right now.

South Africa suffered a close 23-19 defeat to the Azzure at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, a match that saw them finish on eight league points, the same as Italy, but just behind the Europeans on points’ difference.

A tough battle, but not our day. The #BokWomen fall short, showing heart and determination until the final whistle.#MakeItCount #ETTIG #WXV pic.twitter.com/GfSMm6wt83

— SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) October 12, 2024

Australia claimed the WXV 2 title by beating Scotland, who finished second on nine points, in the final game on Saturday.

“We really showed that we can play with these teams and even beat them and that is very encouraging as we move towards next year’s Rugby World Cup,” said De Bruin, the Bok Women's performance coach.

“We could have easily won today and against the Aussies, but in reality we just did not use enough of the multiple chances we created. As frustrating as it is, so encouraging it is as we are miles away from being the best version of ourselves, but yet we took those teams to the last play of the game.

“We can certainly improve in certain areas and fine-tune other aspects of our play. There are very strong principles in this team that are in place already, but we are getting bogged down by others that are not good.

“We will have to be much better in those and the next couple of months and into next year the focus will be about that so that will be a more complete team when we are playing international rugby again in April.”

De Bruin said the first six weeks of his tenure was satisfying as he could witness first hand the fighting spirit in the group: “I am confident that this group can go on and make the country proud next year, providing that we work really hard in the next 11 months before we are off to England.”

Springbok Women captain Nolusindiso Booi said they feel frustrated after letting another win slip through their fingers.

“Yes, we are proud of the effort until the very last play and things could have gone our way, but defeat does not sit well with us,” said Booi.

“The massive support we are now receiving is also a huge boost, but we need to reward the crowds with a winning performance as well. The disappointment we are feeling is also for them, as we really wanted them to witness us winning today.

“We are growing as a team though and we are well aware that it is not always about the result, but also about the process. We did good things in this match, but credit to Italy who showed calm heads when it mattered.

“The two yellow cards we conceded did not help our cause either. Overall, the five-match campaign can be deemed a success and I want to thank the coaches and management for the way they prepared us for this WXV 2.”

FT | 🇮🇹 Italy 23-19 South Africa 🇿🇦

The Italian defence stands firm as it goes right to the death in Cape Town 💥#HereForHer | #WXV2 pic.twitter.com/K7Ptsw2w0v

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 12, 2024

The players will return to their respective unions now, with a camp in December their next national commitment.

Nomawethu Mabenge (wing) and the uncapped Nombuyekezo Mdliki (prop) have been drafted into the Springbok Women squad as injury replacements and were included in the match-23 for South Africa’s final WXV 2 match, against Italy at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.

Mabenge will slot straight into the right-wing berth held by Jakkie Cilliers against Japan and Australia and will start in her 18th test, while Mdliki, a former Junior Springbok Women prop, will be in line to make her test debut off the bench.

Cilliers, Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Maceala Samboya all picked up injuries in the last week and were ruled out of Saturday’s test, with Mabenge and Mdliki joining the official squad.

Swys de Bruin and his coaching staff made a couple of changes to the starting side that just fell short against the Wallaroos last weekend, mostly in the pack, where Nolusindiso Booi returns as captain, resulting in a straight swop with Danelle Lochner, who reverts to being one of the impact players.

Last weekend’s captain, Lusanda Dumke, remains at flanker in a new loose forward combination with Catha Jacobs (flanker) and Sizophila Solontsi (No 8), with the duo swopping places with Sinazo Mcatshulwa and Aseze Hele, who will finish the game.

The experienced front row of Yonela Nxingolo, Lindelwa Gwala and Babalwa Latsha will be reunited for the first time since July 2022 when they fronted up against Japan in Kamaishi.

GWALA RETURNS

Gwala has recovered from the calf strain that kept her out of the first two WXV clashes, and replaces Roseline Botes at hooker, while Nxingolo swops roles with Sanelisiwe Charie, who started the first two games of the tournament. Mdliki comes in for Azisa Mkiva on the bench.

Mabenge’s selection and the return of Tayla Kinsey at scrumhalf are the only changes in the backline.

Kinsey is the sole backline survivor that started against Italy in last year’s WXV 2 clash at the same venue, while Jacobs, Dumke, Booi and Latsha are the only starters in the pack who are back again.

De Bruin said the team’s mission remains the same – adding building blocks to their ultimate destination, the Rugby World Cup in England next year.

“We tweaked around a bit in order to look at more combinations and sadly had to call for replacements as well due to the three injuries,” said De Bruin.

“That said, we still have good momentum going into this last game, an important one for us as it is another opportunity to beat a better ranked team.”

PATHWAY STARTING TO DELIVER

Of the inclusion of Mdliki, the coach said it is exciting to see the pathway in the women’s game starting to deliver: “She was part of that junior squad who played against Zimbabwe in 2022 and trained with us for the last two months.

“That group already delivered Vainah Ubisi, Byrhandrè Dolf, Mary Zulu and Sinelitha Noxexe to the senior team. It bodes well for the future and I am sure Nombuyekezo will show why the coaches have so much faith in her.”

De Bruin was impressed by Italy’s abilities around the field.

“They certainly can mix it up, with good interplay by backs and forwards, and they have some really good decisionmakers, such a vital aspect in the women’s game,” he said.

“They will test us in different ways than Japan and Australia did and that is perfect for us, as we need different pictures all the time on our growth path. We want to finish this tournament strong, so hope to end off with a performance that not only ourselves, but the country can be proud of.”

SPRINGBOK WOMEN’S TEAM TO FACE ITALY IN CAPE TOWN:

15. Eloise Webb (Border Ladies) – 13 caps, 30 points (6 tries)

14. Nomawethu Mabenge (Boland Dames) – 17 caps, 70 points (14 tries)

13. Zintle Mpupha (Bulls Daisies) – 23 caps, 106 points (20 tries, 3 conversions)

12. Chumisa Qawe (Bulls Daisies) – 18 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

11. Ayanda Malinga (Bulls Daisies) – 10 caps, 55 points (10 tries)

10. Nadine Roos (unattached) – 14 caps, 31 points (5 tries, 3 conversions)

9. Tayla Kinsey (vice-captain; Sharks Women) – 37 caps, 48 points (2 tries, 16 conversions, 2 penalty goals)

8. Sizophila Solontsi (Bulls Daisies) – 24 caps, 40 points (8 tries)

7. Catha Jacobs (Leicester Tigers Women) – 18 caps, 5 points (1 try)

6. Lusanda Dumke (Bulls Daisies) – 32 caps, 50 points (10 tries)

5. Vainah Ubisi (Bulls Daisies) – 17 caps, 25 points (5 tries)

4. Nolusindiso Booi (captain, DHL Western Province) – 48 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

3. Babalwa Latsha (Harlequins Women) – 32 caps, 25 points (5 tries)

2. Lindelwa Gwala (Ealing Trailfinders) - 34 caps, 70 points (14 tries)

1. Yonela Ngxingolo (Bulls Daisies) – 31 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

REPLACEMENTS:

16. Micke Gunter (Bulls Daisies) – 10 caps, 5 points, 1 try

17. Sanelisiwe Charlie (Bulls Daisies) – 21 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

18. Nombuyekezo Mdliki (Border Ladies) – uncapped

19. Danelle Lochner (Harlequins Women) – 15 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

20. Sinazo Mcatshulwa (DHL Western Province) – 34 caps, 50 points (10 tries)

21. Aseza Hele (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 24 caps, 50 points (10 tries)

22. Unam Tose (Bulls Daisies) – 22 tests, 5 points (1 try)

23. Byrhandrè Dolf (Bulls Daisies) – 15 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

SELECTED SPRINGBOK WOMEN STATS:

Nolusindiso Booi will extend her record as the most-capped Springbok Women’s player with 49 test caps.

Tayla Kinsey will extend her record for the most-capped Springbok Women scrumhalf to 38. She is also South Africa’s second most-capped women’s player in history.

Lindelwa Gwala will extend her record for the most-capped Springbok Women hooker to 35.

Nombuyekezo Mdliki will become Springbok Women’s player #175 when she takes the field.

Lusanda Dumke will lead the Springbok Women into battle on Saturday when they take on Australia at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town in the second round of WXV 2.

Dumke, playing in her 32nd test, will be wearing the captain’s armband for the third time in her career, having led South Africa twice against Kenya in 2021. She takes over the role from Nolusindiso Booi, who will play off the bench, from where she will be extending her national record to 48 test caps.

Dumke’s elevation into the starting XV is among a number of changes made by Swys de Bruin and the coaching staff for this match, following their 31-24 win over Japan last weekend.

Dumke takes over from Sizophila Solontsi at flanker, while Danelle Lochner swops jerseys with Booi in the other change to the starting pack.

In the backs, Unam Tose will make a first start at scrumhalf this year, while Zintle Mpupha comes in for Eloise Webb in the midfield, where she will combine with Chumisa Qawe, the vice-captain for Saturday.

Webb moves to fullback in place of Libbie Janse van Rensburg, who picked up a leg injury in training this week and was ruled out of the match.

De Bruin again opted for a split of six forwards and two backs on the bench, from where scrumhalf Felicia Jacobs and utility back Byrhandré Dolf are in line to make their first WXV appearances this year, while Solontsi will join the finishers this time around.

De Bruin reiterated the fact that the Rugby World Cup in England next year remains the main focus in evolving and selecting the squad and said this weekend’s match-23 were deemed best for the Australian challenge.

“We have 30 players in the squad and have the luxury of tweaking numbers here and there,” said De Bruin.

“Lusanda was not available for selection against Japan as she was completing her return to play protocols, but she is ready now and being the world-class player she is, will be at her best come Saturday. She is the captain of the Bulls Daisies as well, so she will not have any problems in that regard. It is also part of our strategy to build depth in the leadership group.

“Injuries are also part of the game. Last week we lost Lindelwa Gwala and this time around, Libbie is not available. As is always the case with injuries, it does create opportunities for the next player.”

De Bruin said they were not forced into any selections by Australia’s good win over Wales last weekend but did credit their performances.

“They really played well against Wales and that was probably the best performance of round one,” he said.

“For us though, it is all about ourselves and how we can best elevate our strengths and minimise our errors. We have a strategy for this match, have prepared well and will be ready to deliver a good performance at Athlone Stadium.”

SPRINGBOK WOMEN’S TEAM TO FACE AUSTRALIA IN CAPE TOWN:

15. Eloise Webb (Border Ladies) – 12 caps, 30 points (6 tries)

14. Jakkie Cilliers (Bulls Daisies) – 15 caps, 80 points (7 tries, 18 conversions, 3 penalty goals)

13. Zintle Mpupha (Bulls Daisies) – 22 caps, 101 points (19 tries, 3 conversions)

12. Chumisa Qawe (vice-captain; Bulls Daisies) – 17 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

11. Ayanda Malinga (Bulls Daisies) – 9 caps, 55 points (10 tries)

10. Nadine Roos (unattached) – 13 caps, 25 points (5 tries)

9. Unam Tose (Bulls Daisies) – 21 tests, 0 points

8. Aseza Hele (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 23 caps, 50 points (10 tries)

7. Sinazo Mcatshulwa (DHL Western Province) – 33 caps, 45 points (9 tries)

6. Lusanda Dumke (captain, Bulls Daisies) – 31 caps, 50 points (10 tries)

5. Vainah Ubisi (Bulls Daisies) – 16 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

4. Danelle Lochner (Harlequins Women) – 14 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

3. Babalwa Latsha (Harlequins Women) – 31 caps, 25 points (5 tries)

2. Roseline Botes (DHL Western Province) - 20 caps, 45 points (9 tries)

1. Sanelisiwe Charlie (Bulls Daisies) – 20 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

REPLACEMENTS:

16. Micke Gunter (Bulls Daisies) – 9 caps, 0 points)

17. Yonela Ngxingolo (Bulls Daisies) – 30 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

18. Azisa Mkiva (DHL Western Province) – 11 caps, 0 points

19. Nolusindiso Booi (DHL Western Province) – 47 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

20. Catha Jacobs (Leicester Tigers Women) – 17 caps, 5 points (1 try)

21. Sizophila Solontsi (Bulls Daisies) – 23 caps, 40 points (8 tries)

22. Felicia Jacobs (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 6 caps, 5 points (1 try)

23. Byrhandre Dolf (Bulls Daisies) – 14 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

Libbie Janse van Rensburg is still making history as a player, but she is already being tapped up for a different role in rugby.

The South Africa fly-half became the first Women Bok to score 200 international points just prior to the start of WXV2 in Cape Town.

But if fellow South African Aimee Barrett-Theron has her way, Janse van Rensburg could be swapping scoring for refereeing.

“I would like to stay in women’s rugby after I am done playing,” she said. “There is so much I can do off the field to grow the game in South Africa whether it is in the union, maybe going into refereeing.

“I have been speaking with Aimee Barrett-Theron as well and there is also an opportunity there. I will see when the time comes which way I am leaning.

“When I started playing rugby Aimee approached me already and asked me how long I wanted to play for because she reckoned I could make a good referee.

“I had never even considered taking up the whistle and I only really considered it after chatting to her.

“Seeing all the great milestones she has reached and what is doing from a woman referee point of view and it is really inspiring and makes me think about taking up the whistle.

Janse van Rensburg was one of the stars of the first edition of WXV, with South Africa finishing third in the second tier of the competition.

The Boks are back hosting again for 2024 and began their campaign with a battling win over Japan.

The 30-year-old did not get on the scoresheet in that game, so was not able to add to her 204 test points, brought up with a try against Spain.

INSPIRING GIRLS TO PLAY RUGBY

She faced a long wait to move off 199 points as injury ruled her out for five months before she achieved a dream by representing South Africa in the Olympics in rugby sevens.

Back in the 15s fold, she is excited to remind the South African public what women’s rugby is all about as they face Australia on Saturday.

Janse van Rensburg said: “The media management team made me very much aware of being close to 200!

“Pre my injury they were mentioning I was so close to it but then when I got injured it put a dampener on things and I sort of forgot about it.

“But as soon as I came back, they were pinning it on me. It was a little bit of pressure, but it is not something I go into the game thinking about.

“When I started playing rugby, I never thought I’d be the first player to score 100, the first player to score 200 but I am very proud to say I have achieved that.

“I hope it inspires the girls in South Africa, we have been getting such a good turnout of players developing and coming into the system.

“I hope it inspires some ladies to say ‘I want to beat Libbie’s record’ or ‘I want to be the most capped Springbok’, or anything like that.

“I hope someone stands up and says ‘I am going to give Libbie a run for her money’.”

Springbok Women performance coach Swys de Bruin applauded the effort of his squad after they outplayed Japan to start their 2024 WXV 2 campaign on a winning note on Friday.

South Africa won 31-24 and De Bruin said the second half effort on defence, especially when Japan was attacking from all corners of the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, showed how determined the players were to start the tournament with a win.

Great start for our #BokWomen in their opening game against Japan 🔥

Thank you for all the support, we appreciate it 🙏💚💛#MakeItCount#ETTIG pic.twitter.com/SEYqsXN8Vy

— SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) September 27, 2024

“I’ll be the first to admit that we played some underwhelming rugby in patches, but we still did enough to win against a very good and organised Japanese side,” said De Bruin.

“They really got the best out of us defensively today. We did butcher some tries while on attack and some basic errors were not helping either, but overall, I am very proud of the team.”

De Bruin said the leadership of Nolusindiso Booi, who extended her record as most capped player to 47 tests, was exceptional, while he also tipped his hat to his fellow coaches. Laurian Johannes-Haupt, Franzel September and Bafana Nhleko.

“We have only been together five weeks,” he said, “so there are still so much to do, but the fact that we could pull this one off and, in the process, improve on our world ranking, tells you a lot already.”

De Bruin's side moved past Japan on the world ranking with the win and are now looking at a top-10 position, with tests against Australia and Italy to follow over the next two weeks.

“We have the Rugby World Cup in mind and as such, will be a work in progress for a while still,” said De Bruin.

“That said, the wins are also very important and to get the victory today is good for our momentum and confidence. Our defensive effort was close to 90 per cent, but playing to our potential was much lower.”

Booi said the defensive effort was needed as Japan came hard and fast and tested them relentlessly.

“Since we came together, we got the better of the Barbarians, then Spain proved a handful and today Japan was very good,” said Booi.

“But the fact that we could keep them out and win tells you that we are moving in the right direction.”

Booi also praised the crowd who came out to enjoy the tournament opener: “It was great, this was a good crowd who came to watch us, and we want to thank them for doing so. We are of course very happy that we could reward them with a win, but it was hard work as Japan was not an easy opponent.”

The Springbok Women will face Australia at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town next Saturday in their second WXV 2 match.

© SA RUGBY 

There are mixed emotions for Aseza Hele, as the Springbok Women No 8 gears up with the rest of the squad to face Japan at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Friday, in what will be the opening match of the 2024 version of WXV 2.

During the inaugural tournament, also played in South Africa in 2023, she was red carded against Italy after a head clash in a tackle and for Hele that was bittersweet, as she missed out on more opportunities to play in front of home crowds.

“Yes, we all know what happened and no one can change that, so I am rather focusing on the positives of this year's tournament and our match against Japan," Hele said after the team completed their preparations for the test.

The two sides met twice in 2022, with each claiming a victory, and their clash on Friday will be their first encounter on home soil for the Springbok Women.

Hele, who played in both those tests two years ago, is adamant that their need to showcase their talents in the tournament opener.

“We did some good things against the Baabaas and Spain, but this is a much bigger stage and for us to establish ourselves among the top teams in the world, good performances in the next three weeks will be vital,” she said.

“We cannot say people are not giving women's rugby enough attention but then don't deliver the results when they do show up.

“We want people to come and watch us play and would love nothing more, but we realise we can’t take that for granted. We need to back up that support with results and that starts against Japan.”

The hard running No 8 has the benefit of a powerful pack to launch attacks from and that makes her job so much easier, Hele said.

“Yes, our forwards do wonderful work and create opportunities for the rest of the squad,” she said. “That is why I am so excited to play this weekend, we are really focused on doing well and play to our strengths.

“Japan will be a very tough opponent, they are fast, skillful and very structured in their play, but we are not going to focus on them too much, but rather on ourselves and doing the right things in the right areas of the field.”

Hele, who played for Harlequins Women in their Allianz Premiership campaign, said the feedback from teammates who were involved in last year's WXV was very positive.

“The players loved it and why not, South Africa is such a beautiful country and we are very friendly people,” she smiled.

“But when the tournament starts, we will try to make it as uncomfortable as possible for them on the field, but that will be it.

“WXV really gives us a great opportunity to become a better team. We have big dreams and goals and those will be tested and put in perspective here. We understand the need for good results, not only with our progress, but on the scoreboard too. We must deliver to our fans and supporters too and that starts tomorrow.”

Lusanda Dumke, a former SA Women's Player of the Year, has been included in the Springbok Women’s squad of 30 players for WXV 2, to be played in Cape Town from 27 September to 13 October, while Maria Tshiremba has also been included in the group.

Springbok Women performance coach Swys de Bruin decided to rope in Tshiremba, who has played at international level before, for the Springbok Women's Sevens team. The Bulls Daisies speedster is the only uncapped player in the squad.

Neither were involved in Thursday's 36-19 victory over Spain at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, the same venue where South Africa will face Japan on Friday in their WXV 2 opener.

Dumke has recovered from a foot injury sustained in the Women's Premier Division final, where she captained the Bulls Daisies to a second title in as many years, while Tshiremba's inclusion comes after Shaunique Hess (wing) suffered a hand fracture against Spain, ruling her out of the tournament.

“It is great to have Lusanda fit and ready to go,” said De Bruin. “She has massive experience and brings not only a wonderful breakdown ability to the squad, but strong leadership as well.

"It was unfortunate for Shaunique to sustain the injury so close to WXV, but that opens the door for Maria, who really impressed me since she joined the squad almost five weeks ago and her sheer pace will be a factor. We were lucky to have a small group of standby players with us in Cape Town, so Maria could slot in the moment Shaunique's injury was confirmed.

“I am pleased with the squad, I think we have a good mix of forward power and play-making ability among the backs to be very competitive when we face Japan, Australia and Italy in the coming weeks.”

In total, 18 of the group were part of the inaugural event last year, where South Africa played Scotland, Italy and Samoa to finish in third position.

 

Springbok Women’s WXV 2 fixtures:

 

South Africa v Japan

Date: Friday, 27 September

Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town

Kick-off: 16h00

 

South Africa v Australia

Date: Saturday, 5 October

Venue: Athlone Stadium, Cape Town

Kick-off: 17h00

 

South Africa v Italy

Date: Saturday, 12 October

Venue: Athlone Stadium, Cape Town

Kick-off: 14h00

 

© SA Rugby

England's women's rugby union side extended their winning run to 17 tests on Saturday beating world champions New Zealand 24-12 in an entertaining tussle at Twickenham.

It was England's second successive win over the Kiwis, having beaten them in New Zealand last year and a timely warning they are in the mood for revenge in next year's World Cup.

The visitors are the last side to have beaten world ranked No 1 side England – in the 2022 World Cup final, the fifth time the English have lost in the final of the quadrennial showpiece to the Black Ferns.

Any notion that the match had been taken as a gentle contest were dismissed by England's Alex Matthews, player of the match.

"It is never a friendly in test match rugby – we don't do friendlies," she told the BBC.

"These are warm-ups, but we started something last year and want to build to the World Cup next year."

It was England who sparkled from the kick-off, in front of over 40 000 raucous and lively spectators.

It was a suitable audience for 2019 world player of the year and 2014 World Cup winner Emily Scarratt, who became the third player to make her 100th start for the hosts.

England tested their opponents, probing for weaknesses and broke the deadlock in the 18th minute when captain Marlie Packer grounded the ball after a rolling maul hauled her over the line.

Holly Aitchison missed the conversion.

CASE OF DEJA VU

Abby Dow and then Ellie Kildunne added two quickfire tries on the half hour and 36th minute marks respectively – Aitchison converting the latter for a 17-0 lead.

The try was deserved for Dow as she was a livewire presence in attack, regularly getting the better of her opposing wing Katelyn Vahaakolo.

It was a downcast New Zealand side that returned to the changing rooms for the halftime talk at 17-0 down.

Their morale took a further pounding as two minutes into the second half scrumhalf Natasha Hunt looked to have put the game beyond them when she went over.

Aitchison converted for 24-0.

Vahaakolo had had a torrid time in defence but in attack she was vibrant and got New Zealand on the scoreboard in the 50th minute.

On the hour mark it was a case of deja vu as Vahaakolo scored their second try and gave them a glimmer of hope of a remarkable comeback.

Renee Holmes converted for 24-12 and it was game on for the final quarter.

However, despite the best efforts of both sides neither could add to the scoreline but they got warmly applauded off the pitch for an entertaining match by the crowd.

The two sides may well be back at Twickenham on 27 September next year for the World Cup final.

Springbok Women assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt expressed satisfaction and praise to the squad after they outplayed the Barbarians Women in Cape Town on Saturday.

South Africa showed great grit up front and gave enough space to their hard-running backs to finish off some spectacular tries, scored in front of an always increasing crowd, as they won 59-17.

Reaction from the #BokWomen after their win over the Barbarians: “This is what we can do and we can only improve” - more here: https://t.co/sKGsFQEcWW 🗣#MakeItCount #ETTIG pic.twitter.com/NBu0TagJPI

— SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) September 7, 2024

“It was fantastic to see how we manage to put different phases of our play together and the result was fantastic,” said Johannes-Haupt.

“There were some great set-piece play and tries, while the forwards also laid a solid foundation to our backline.

“We are really grateful to the Barbarians who gave us this opportunity as we fine-tune towards WXV 2 and ultimately the Rugby World Cup next year. This showing was a tremendous boost for us, as it instilled the belief that the changes they were asked to do, were the correct ones.”

Johannes-Haupt said the input from Swys de Bruin and Bafana Nhleko, who recently joined the coaching staff, was clear to see in the performance.

“They are well experienced in rugby and immediately stamped their mark on the team,” she said. “It is early days yet, but today's performance show what the potential of the team is. Now we need to kick-on come WXV 2.”

'SPECIAL CROWD'

Bok Women captain Nolusindiso Booi praised the crowd and said it was worth the wait to finally play at DHL Stadium: “What a moment it was for us and I am so happy the team could respond with a proper performance to showcase our talent. It was a performance everyone can be proud of.”

Booi said the way the forwards played was needed to lay the foundation and that they had now set a standard to work from.

“We needed to be very physical today and we managed that, so that hard work was worth it, and the backs scored some amazing tries,” she said.

“This is what we can do and we can only improve in our next outing against Spain. We hope to have a decent crowd on that day too, as they crowd was just special today.”

The team will take a short break and will assemble on 15 September again to prepare for the test against Spain, to be played at DHL Stadium on 19 September.

© SA Rugby

The ability to deliver a competitive performance at next year’s Rugby World Cup remains the end goal for the Springbok Women and although that is still almost a year away, Byrhandré Dolf insists their first step on that road needs to be decisive.

Their very first hurdle in that road comes on Saturday in Cape Town against a very experienced Barbarians team, laden with battle hardened senior players from all around the world.

For Dolf, who will be the youngest player on the field at DHL Stadium, where she will start at fullback for South Africa, the occassion will be massive, but as will the opportunities that matches like this one provides.

She played against the Baabaas in last year’s fixture at Athlone Stadium and as Dolf points out, learned a lot on that occasion.

“I was only five test caps into my career when I faced them and maybe did not really understand enough of who the Baabaas were, and the World Cup was far away at that time,” said Dolf.

“What I remember from that day was how tough it was to try and anticipate what they were going to do and that made me realise how important playmakers and decisionmakers on the field are.”

This time around, Dolf has 14 caps and has grown into a playmaking role, and Saturday’s DHL Stadium crowd can expect to see good decision-making from the fullback.

“We certainly have a more creative mindset and the addition of some of the sevens players added to that,” said Dolf, one of the players who were at the Olympic Games in Paris recently.

“The ball will reach the wings and they will be dangerous when in possession.”

A special day in Cape Town for the #BokWomen, who are starting an exciting new journey this weekend - more here: https://t.co/omVDrTjP6z 🤩#MakeItCount #ETTIG pic.twitter.com/Ucn5X4cA2f

— SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) September 5, 2024

BOK CURTAIN RAISER

Aside from the Rugby World Cup and the more pressing matter of preparing for WXV 2, which starts on 27 September, Dolf said this time around she will appreciate the opportunity to play the Baabaas much more.

“I now understand the hype a litter better and also what massive legacy some of their players have left in the game,” she said.

“This actually motivates me to become like them and as a Springbok Women player to elevate us to that level.

“Just image the next 21-year-old somewhere in the world playing against a Baabaas team that have a significant number of Springbok Women amongst them. If that happens, these small steps we are taking now will in fact have been big strides.”

Dolf, who captained the Junior Springbok Women in 2022 against Zimbabwe U20 when they played a curtain raiser for the Springbok Women against Spain in Potchefstroom, said she is humbled to be part of the senior team who now shares a field with the Springboks.

“That match meant so much to all our girls, as we could share the field with our favourite Springbok Women,” she said.

“This time, as Springbok Women, we share the same field with the Springboks. For me and everyone else, that is going to be such a great feeling. The guys are really backing us and we know that a good showing in Cape Town will also be a reward to them.”

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi spent most of Thursday with the team and Dolf said that was inspiring: “It was awesome to have him around and it meant a lot to the team. I really hope we get the same support from the DHL Stadium crowd, who will hopefully, like Siya, invest in some time to spend with us.”

Siya Kolisi running training drills with the Springbok Women forwards. pic.twitter.com/c4TZtQeWyK

— Mariette Adams (@MarietteAdams_) September 5, 2024