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.
Ayanda Malinga will make a return to Test rugby for the first time since 2022 after being named on the left wing for the Springbok Women’s opening match of WXV 2 against Japan at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Friday.
Springbok Women performance coach Swys de Bruin has made two changes to the starting team that will face Spain at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Thursday, and three tweaks to the bench from their comprehensive victory over the Barbarians just over a week ago.
Nolusindiso Booi will lead a Springbok Women team laden with Test experience against the Barbarians Women in Cape Town on Saturday, while Swys de Bruin and his coaching staff added a named a number of new players to the match-23.
The Springbok Women are keen to start their first appearance front of a home crowd in South Africa on the best possible note and as such, had no problems to focus on what needs to be done in the match week leading up to their Barbarians clash on Saturday.
To be part of an event where 65 000 people vocally rooted for women's sevens rugby was a feeling that she cannot describe, but close to that was the way the South African team fought for one another and their first victory at their first Olympic Games.
The Springbok Women will face Japan in the opening game of the 2024 edition of WXV 2 on Friday, 27 September in Cape Town, with the other two tournaments kicking off on the same weekend in Canada (WXV 1) and Duban (WXV 3).
Springbok Women's Sevens Head Coach, Renfred Dazel, expressed satisfaction at the end of their two-week Olympic Games camp in Potchefstroom and said all planned objectives had been met at the conclusion of the exercise on Saturday.
SA Rugby is to advertise for a full-time Springbok Women’s fifteens head coach as the organisation continues to ramp up its focus on the women’s game.
Springbok Women head coach Louis Koen applauded his troops for their structured approach in their final match of the Rugby Africa Women's Cup on Sunday, with the victory over Madagascar not only confirming Rugby World Cup 2025 qualification, but also sealed WXV 2 entry.