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Hoping to clip the Eagles’ wings


After dominating the competition and retaining their title in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in May, the Springbok Women return to action this Saturday with an exciting clash against the USA at Ellis Park. The game is the first of two against the Women’s Eagles, and a real opportunity for the Bok Women to build on the momentum they built during last year’s Rugby World Cup.


While South Africans may not generally think of the USA when compiling a list of formidable rugby nations, the women’s team is a different kettle of fish, and is currently ranked 8th in the world. They participate in the Pacific Four Series alongside New Zealand, Australia, and Canada annually, and have had a good amount of success in Rugby World Cups over the years. In fact, they were the winners of the inaugural women’s World Cup in 1991, and placed second in the next two tournaments. Since then, as women’s rugby has grown and become increasingly competitive, their best finish has been 4th place in 2017. Unlike the Springbok Women, they failed to make the knockouts at last year’s iteration, after losing to Australia and eventual champions, England, in the pool stages. Most recently, they lost to the Black Ferns and Canada during this year’s Pacific Four Series, but delivered a comprehensive victory against the Wallaroos. They’ll be embarking on their first trip to South Africa match fit and with a desire to bounce back from that tournament, while the Bok Women will be looking at this as an opportunity to capitalise on their own recent good form, and homeground advantage. They’ll also be keen to keep climbing the rankings – last year saw the South African women reach their highest ranking of 10th, and a win against the higher-placed USA will see them improve on that position.



The two sides have played each other on six previous occasions, with the Bok Women only winning one of those, in 2011. But this is not the same Bok Women team that last played the Women’s Eagles in March 2024. The growth in the side has been exponential in the interim, and they have every reason to believe that they can ruin the USA Women’s 4th of July celebrations. Like any true South African team, the Bok Women love a nothing more than a proper scrum, and they’ll be planning to show the Eagles a few fireworks up front. The coaches have lauded the teams efforts when it comes to the setpiece and defence particularly, and we also know, having seen a few surprise moves at last year's World Cup, that the Bok Women won't be lacking on attack either.


Of course, the name everyone thinks of when it comes to the Women’s Eagles is Ilona Maher. She won’t be playing, but that doesn’t detract from the talented USA players that will be here. It certainly won’t make it any less of a must-watch clash. And never mind the opposition…it’s an opportunity to see the incredible Babalwa Latsha take over the reins as captain for the Bok Women, and dominate up front. And to witness the quicksilver Byrhandré Dolf, the cool-as-ice Libbie Janse van Rensburg, the immovable Sanelisiwe Charlie, and the unstoppable Ayanda Malinga, just to name a few, in action. What rugby fan would miss out on that?!


Kick-off is at 13:30 at Ellis Park on Saturday, 4 July, with the second game a week later, on 11 July, at Loftus. Both games are included in tickets to the Bok games against England and Scotland at those venues. Get there early.


The Springbok Women team to face the USA Women’s Eagles on 4 July 2026:


1 Sanelisiwe Charlie (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 30 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

2 Micke Gunter (Leicester Tigers) – 16 caps, 5 points (1 try)

3 Babalwa Latsha (captain, DHL Western Province) – 40 caps, 35 points (7 tries)

4 Vainah Ubisi (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 22 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

5 Danelle Lochner (Harlequins Women) – 22 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

6 Sizophila Solontsi (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 31 caps, 45 points (9 tries)7 Catha Jacobs (Golden Lions Women) – 26 caps, 5 Points (1 try)8 Logan Welman (DHL Western Province) – 3 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

9 Unam Tose (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 29 caps, 12 points (2 tries, 1 conversion)

10 Libbie Janse van Rensburg (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 30 caps, 219 points (14 tries, 55 conversions, 12 penalty goals, 1 drop goal)11 Alichia Arries (DHL Western Province) – 5 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

12 Aphiwe Ngwevu (Border Ladies) – 32 caps, 75 points (15 tries)

13 Ayanda Malinga (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 17 caps, 80 points (16 tries)

14 Jakkie Cilliers (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 24 caps, 149 points (11 tries, 38 conversions, 6 penalty goals)

15 Byrhandré Dolf (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 26 caps, 64 points (7 tries, 13 conversions, 1 penalty goal)


Replacements:

16 Anushka Groenewald (DHL Western Province) – 6 caps, 0 points

17 Yonela Ngxingolo (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 42 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

18 Thandile Mazwi (DHL Western Province) – 3 caps, 5 points (1 try)

19 Anathi Qolo (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 14 caps, 5 points (1 try)

20 Sinelitha Noxeke (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 4 caps, 0 points

21 Faith Tshauke (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 7 caps, 25 points (5 tries)

22 Felicia Jacobs (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 10 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

23 Eloise Webb (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 20 caps, 30 points (6 tries)



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