Once upon a time, we were lucky if we saw the Springbok Women play more than a couple of games a year. Now, just two weeks after we watched them take on the Black Ferns in Soweto, they’re in action once again, this time against Wales in Cardiff, as they kick off their WXV Global Series campaign. We dreamed of times like these. World Rugby has rejigged the format of the WXV competitions, moving away from the three-tiered approach that previously saw the Springbok Women playing in WXV 2....

After an incredible tour of Fiji, the Springbok Women are preparing for yet another historic Test this weekend, as they get ready to play the Black Ferns for the first time on South African soil. The teams have only met on two previous occasions, both of which took place on neutral ground at Rugby World Cups. In 2010, the Black Ferns cantered to a 55-3 win, but in 2025, while the final score of 46-17 may have suggested otherwise, the South African women were far fiercer contenders. Indeed,...

I’ve watched the Springboks play the All Blacks live ten times – more than I’ve watched us face any other opponent. I’ve seen five wins, and five losses. I was there for the utter heartbreak in Durban when we lost 15-57 in 2016. And I was also there for the pure joy and exhilaration in Paris when we won the 2023 Rugby World Cup final 12-11. The games we play against the All Blacks are the ones I look forward to most every year, the ones that feel like they have the most at stake, and the ones...