Upping the ante as the Springbok Women prepare for RWC 2025

With the Rugby World Cup a little over a month away, the Springbok Women are putting the finishing touches on their preparations. This weekend sees them take on Canada in the first of two Tests, both of which are being played as double headers with the Springboks’ games against Italy, on 5 July at Loftus and 12 July at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Both games kick off at 13:30.

The team has played four matches in 2025, against Spain, Uganda, Kenya, and Madagascar, and been victorious in all four. But while this two-Test series brings the relative comfort of their first home games for the year, there’s no doubt it will be their toughest undertaking of the season thus far. Canada is a force to be reckoned with in women’s rugby, currently ranked second in the world. They have competed in every Rugby World Cup since the inception of the women’s tournament in 1991, and have consistently finished in the top six. In 2014, they achieved their best result in the showpiece when they made the final, before ultimately losing to England 21-9. They will certainly be hoping to surpass that achievement and lift the trophy this year. They are also well into their preparations for the World Cup, and have won two out of three of their games this year, against the USA and Australia, while drawing the third against New Zealand. The Springbok Women have played Canada on four previous occasions, and have yet to secure a win against them.

While this may seem like a daunting undertaking, it’s also an important one. After facing lower ranked teams in all their previous encounters this year, this clash offers a real chance to evaluate the hard work the Springbok Women and their coaches have been putting in ahead of the World Cup. Coach Swys de Bruin has highlighted the opportunity these games afford the team to be tested by the physical and tactical challenges Canada will pose, and to assess their responses to those challenges. He convened an experienced squad of 26 players in Johannesburg at the end of June, ahead of these clashes, with no uncapped players selected, and 22 of the 26 having taken part in the last World Cup. And while the Springbok Women will very much be the underdogs in this clash, they will be hoping to put the Canadians to the sword in the set-piece, and to reap the rewards of their recent improvement in form.

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The Tests against Canada will be followed by two more preparation games, as the Springbok Women will face New Zealand’s Black Ferns XV on 26 July and 2 August at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, with kick off at 17:00. Tickets start at as little as R20 for these games, while those against Canada are bundled with Springboks v Italy tickets, as part of the double header. Be sure to get out there and support the team in their final contests ahead of the World Cup!

The teams for the first clash between the Springbok Women and Canada are as follows:

Springbok Women

1. Sanelisiwe Charlie (Bulls Daisies) – 24 caps, 10 points (2 tries) 2. Micke Gunter (Bulls Daisies) – 11 caps, 5 points (1 try) 3. Babalwa Latsha (unattached) – 34 caps, 30 points (6 tries) 4. Nolusindiso Booi (captain, DHL Western Province) – 50 caps, 5 points (1 try) 5. Danelle Lochner (Harlequins Women) – 17 caps, 10 points (2 tries) 6. Sizophila Solontsi (Bulls Daisies) – 26 caps, 40 points (8 tries) 7. Sinazo Mcatshulwa (unattached) – 36 caps, 55 points (11 tries) 8. Aseza Hele (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 26 caps, 65 points (13 tries) 9. Tayla Kinsey (Sharks Women) – 39 caps, 53 points (3 tries, 16 conversions, 2 penalty goals) 10. Libbie Janse van Rensburg (Bulls Daisies) – 25 caps, 209 points (12 tries, 55 conversions, 12 penalties, 1 drop goal) 11. Ayanda Malinga (Bulls Daisies) – 12 caps, 60 points (12 tries) 12. Chumisa Qawe (Bulls Daisies) – 20 caps, 20 points (4 tries) 13. Zintle Mpupha (Bulls Daisies) – 24 caps, 106 points (20 tries, 3 conversions) 14. Jakkie Cilliers (Bulls Daisies) – 17 caps, 93 points (3 tries, 20 conversions, 2 penalty goals) 15. Nadine Roos (Springbok Women’s Sevens) – 16 caps, 35 points (5 tries, 5 conversions)

Replacements:

16. Luchell Hanekom (DHL Western Province) – 7 caps, 0 points 17. Yonela Ngxingolo (Bulls Daisies) – 33 caps, 15 points (3 tries) 18. Nombuyekezo Mdliki (Border Ladies) – 4 caps, 0 points 19. Nomsa Mokwai (DHL Western Province) – 11 caps, 0 points 20. Lerato Makua (Bulls Daisies) – 13 caps, 15 points (3 tries) 21. Catha Jacobs (unattached) – 20 caps, 5 points (1 try) 22. Byrhandré Dolf (Bulls Daisies) – 20 caps, 32 points (6 tries, 1 conversion) 23. Eloise Webb (Border Ladies) – 15 caps, 30 points (6 tries)

Canada Women

1. McKinley Hunt (Aurora Barbarians/Saracens) 2. Gillian Boag (Capilano RFC/Gloucester-Hartpury) 3. DaLeaka Menin (Calgary Hornets/Exeter Chiefs) 4. Caroline Crossley (Castaway Wanderers) 5. Courtney O'Donnell (Red Deer Titans Rugby) 6. Laetitia Royer (St-Anne-de-Bellevue/Concordia University/ASM Romagnat) 7. Fabiola Forteza (Club de rugby de Québec/Stade Bordelais) 8. Gabrielle Senft (Castaway Wanderers/Saracens) 9. Olivia Apps (Lindsay RFC) 10. Taylor Perry (Oakville Crusaders/Exeter Chiefs) 11. Fancy Bermudez (Nor’Westers Athletic Association/Westshore RFC/Saracens) 12. Alexandra Tessier (Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue RFC/Exeter Chiefs) 13. Florence Symonds (University of British Columbia) 14. Alysha Corrigan (CRFC/Saracens) 15. Julia Schell (Guelph Goats/Castaway Wanderers/Ealing Trailfinders)

Finishers:

16. Mikiela Nelson (Capilano RFC/Exeter Chiefs) 17. Holly Phillips (Banff Bears/Calgary Irish/Bristol Bears) 18. Rori Wood (College Rifles RFC/Ealing Trailfinders) 19. Rachel Smith (University of British Columbia) 20. Tyson Beukeboom (Cowichan Piggies/Aurora Barbarians/Ealing Trailfinders) 21. Pamphinette Buisa (Ottawa Irish) 22. Justine Pelletier (Club de rugby de Québec/Stade Bordelais) 23. Shoshanah Seumanutafa (Counties Manukau)