Springbok womens rugby to compete in World Rugby’s WXV tournament

Springbok womens rugby competing in World Rugby’s WXV 2 tournament will help them to continue to improve and raise their local and international profile.

Springbok womens rugby: New beginnings

The current growth phase and relative success of the Springbok women’s rugby is as a direct result of a very difficult decision that was made back in 2014. The team and system were disbanded and rebuilt from scratch after a very disappointing Rugby World Cup tournament. Since then, the women’s game in South Africa has become more structured and more and more players are starting to be awarded professional contracts. This has resulted in Springbok women’s rugby slowly but surely climbing up World Rugby’s rankings. 

There is also a structured local Premier Division as well as First Division, creating a pipeline of players. There isn’t a high number of professionally contracted players, but the process has started and will grow with success.

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What is World Rugby’s WXV tournament? 

This tournament is a three-tier annual competition. The Springbok womens rugby team will be playing in the second tier (WXV 2) of this competition and will be hosting the competition in Cape Town in October. 

They will be joined by Scotland, Japan, Italy, USA and Samoa. The team finishing last in this tournament will be relegated to the third tier (WXV 3) tournament. The fixtures of the WXV 2 tournament in Cape Town can be viewed here. 

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Who is in the Springbok womens rugby squad?

Springbok womens rugby interim head coach has named the following squad for the tournament. The squad includes a number of local competition stalwarts, as well as a number of players who ply their trade professionally in the UK..

Forwards (17):
Aseza Hele (Harlequins Women), Lusanda Dumke (Bulls Daisies), Catha Jacobs (Leicester Tigers Women),Nompumelelo Mathe (Sharks Women),Danelle Lochner (DHL Western Province), Vainah Ubisi (Bulls Daisies), Sinazo Mcatshulwa (DHL Western Province), Nolusindiso Booi (vice-captain, DHL Western Province), Babalwa Latsha (captain, Harlequins Women), Amber Schonert (Sale Sharks Women), Yonela Ngxingolo (Bulls Daisies), Asithandile Ntoyanto (Bulls Daisies), Sanelisiwe Charlie (EP Queens), Roseline Botes (DHL Western Province), Micke Gunter (Bulls Daisies),
Lucell Hanekom (DHL Western Province), Lindelwa Gwala (Ealing Trailfinders Women)

Backs (13):
Byrhandrè Dolf (Bulls Daisies), Mary Zulu (Sharks Women), Chuma Qawe (DHL Western Province), Veroeshka Grain (DHL Western Province), Unathi Mali (Bulls Daisies), Maceala Samboya (Boland Dames), Jakkie Cilliers (Bulls Daisies), Piwokuhle Nyanda (Mastercard Golden Lions Women), Shaunique Hess (DHL Western Province), Libbie Janse van Rensburg (vice-captain, Bulls Daisies), Rumandi Potgieter (Bulls Daisies), Unam Tose (Bulls Daisies), Tayla Kinsey (Sharks Women). 

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