Springbok Women continue to forge new ground with series in Fiji
- Belinda Glenn
- 1 hour ago
- 5 min read
One thing fans of women’s rugby have always cried out for is more meaningful game time for teams. Well, the Springbok Women are certainly getting that this year, and it’s wonderful to see. After drawing the historic two-match series against the USA at home last month, the Bok Women are continuing to blaze new trails for South African women’s rugby as they prepare to take on the Fijiana XV in Suva and Lautoka on 8 and 15 August.
The Bok Women have played the Fijiana XV just once before, a game that ended in a close-fought 17-21 defeat. That was at the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand (played in 2022), making this Saturday’s game the first time the two sides will meet in Fiji. It’s fantastic to see the continued commitment to not only getting more meaningful game time for the Bok Women, but also to playing opponents that we haven’t played many times before. This is how we grow the game, and build skillsets. And while the travel to Fiji is arduous, with the team taking two days to get there and crossing multiple time zones, coach Swys de Bruin sees the positives in that challenge too – he’s already thinking ahead to the 2029 Rugby World Cup, which takes place in Australia, and will entail similar travel and time zone shifts.
While the Fijiana XV may be the lower ranked team of the two (currently ranked at 13, while the Bok Women are in 10th position), they will be formidable opponents at home. Fiji is a proud and passionate rugby nation, and I’m sure their fans will be in full voice when these teams take the field. In a way, it does feel like there are many parallels between the two countries, not only in terms of the deep love of the game and even some elements of their playing styles, but also in terms of their rugby journeys – the teams’ beginnings came just a year or two apart, and both have had some serious ups and downs over the last 20 years, with both now also starting to benefit from more concerted investments. It’s been great to see the warm welcome the Bok Women have received since arriving in Fiji on Monday.
Of course, there may be a warm welcome off the field, but there are still two fiercely competitive Tests to be played. And I doubt anyone will be forgetting the fact that the only fixture they’ve ever played against each other went Fiji’s way, against expectations at the time…that will give the hosts a confidence boost, but will also give the Bok Women another reason to fight for the win. We do love to feel like we might be the underdogs, after all. The Fijiana XV are known for their physicality, and the South Africans will be looking to match (and exceed) them in this department – hardly something they’re likely to shy away from, given their own reputation for physicality. This also makes it especially good news that we’ve welcomed the formidable number 8, Aseza Hele, and the Bok Women’s most-capped hooker, Lindelwa Gwala, back into the squad after injury-enforced layoffs that have seen them out of action since last year’s World Cup. Both teams are also known for their bursts of flair and their unpredictability, so all in all, I think we’re shaping up for two enthralling games.
Libbie Janse van Rensburg, the iconic flyhalf who holds the record as the highest points scorer for the Springbok Women (219 to date), has been named as captain for the first time in her career, and will lead a much-changed side into battle. Only 13 of the players who were involved in the last Test against the USA at Loftus will take to the field this Saturday, allowing for player rotation and the inclusion of those who have previously been unavailable. And while Shiniqwa Lamprecht joins the starting line up for her Test debut, she’s no stranger to the Fijians, having played (and beaten) them in the Springbok Women Sevens team during the Olympics. She is the only debutante for this game.
At the time of writing, no broadcast details for the games against the Fijiana XV were available, but hopefully we will be able to watch these two exciting teams face off against each other…even if it does mean a bit of an early start to the day. It’ll absolutely be worth it. Kick off for the first Test in Suva is at 04:00 SAST on Saturday, 8 August, and at 05:00 SAST for the second Test in Lautoka on Saturday, 15 August.
Springbok Women to face Fiji in Suva:
1 Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Golden Lions Women) – 12 caps, 0 points
2 Lindelwa Gwala (Sharks Women) - 38 caps, 75 points (15 tries)
3 Nombuyekezo Mdliki (Border Ladies) – 13 caps, 5 points (1 try)
4 Vainah Ubisi (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 24 caps, 25 points (5 tries)
5 Nomsa Mokwai (DHL Western Province) – 17 caps, 0 points
6 Sizophila Solontsi (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 33 caps, 45 points (9 tries)
7 Lerato Makua (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 20 caps, 20 points (4 tries)
8 Aseza Hele (Sanlam Boland Dames) - 32 caps, 85 points (17 tries)
9 Anacadia Minnaar (EP Queens) – 6 caps, 3 points (1 penalty goal)
10 Libbie Janse van Rensburg (captain, Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 32 caps, 219 points (14 tries, 55 conversions, 12 penalty goals, 1 drop goal)
11 Patience Mokone (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) - 3 caps, 20 points (4 tries)
12 Shiniqwa Lamprecht (Sanlam Boland Dames) – uncapped
13 Zintle Mpupha (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) - 29 caps, 106 points (20 tries, 3 conversions)
14 Maceala Samboya (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 8 caps, 20 points (4 tries)
15 Byrhandré Dolf (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 27 caps, 64 points (7 tries, 13 conversions, 1 penalty goal)
Replacements:
16 Anushka Groenewald (DHL Western Province) – 8 caps, 0 points
17 Yonela Ngxingolo (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 44 caps, 20 points (4 tries)
18 Thandile Mazwi (DHL Western Province) – 4 caps, 5 points (1 try)
19 Catha Jacobs (Golden Lions Women) – 28 caps, 5 points (1 try)
20 Sinelitha Noxeke (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 7 caps, 0 points
21 Nobuhle Mjwara (Sharks Women) - 6 caps, 10 points (2 tries)
22 Felicia Jacobs (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 11 caps, 15 points (3 tries)
23 Alichia Arries (DHL Western Province) – 7 caps, 25 points (5 tries)
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