A group of 34 players will assemble in Pretoria on Sunday for the Springbok Women’s second alignment camp of the year, as the national team’s preparations for the Rugby World Cup in England in Augustus picks up pace.
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.
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.
Nomawethu Mabenge and the uncapped Nombuyekezo Mdliki 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.
There is the little matter of last year’s result, but for the Springbok Women, Saturday’s final WXV 2 match against Italy at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town is all about finishing the season well and with their tails up.
Springbok Women performance coach Swys de Bruin heaped praise on his squad after a dramatic comeback performance in their WXV 2 match against Australia at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday evening brought them to the brink of a draw against the team ranked seventh in the world.
She has been on the biggest stages of the rugby world, but on Saturday, Zintle Mpupha does not want to be anywhere else than at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, playing in the green and gold of South Africa with a leaping springbok on the chest, fueled on by a home crowd rooting for the Springbok Women and urging them on to be the best version of themselves against a much-vaunted opponent.
Expect the unexpected, but be sure that the Springbok Women will have their minds firmly on the job at hand and executing their opponent-specific gameplan when they take on Australia's Wallaroos in their second round WXV 2 clash at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.
With the first hurdle cleared in WXV 2, the Springbok Women have their eyes firmly set on their next challenge in the tournament, taking on Australia in Cape Town on Saturday, an engagement they are looking forward to.
It was a hot and humid night in Kumagaya when Ayanda Malinga last faced Japan, but the memory of that special Test 26 months ago still fuels the Springbok Women winger.