CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

Photos: INPHO | Shutterstock/BackpagePix By: Wynona Louw

The Springbok women’s rugby teams are under no illusions of the magnitude of the season that lies ahead.

SOUTH Africa will have the opportunity to be the holders of both Rugby World Cups when the Springboks women’s team launch their assault in New Zealand later this year.

It is indeed a busy year for women’s rugby, with the Bok Sevens team also playing in Cape Town in September for the Rugby World Cup Sevens, just prior to the 15-player showpiece in the Land of the Long White Cloud the following month.

Unlike the Springbok men’s set-up, many of the Bok Sevens women’s players double up in the 15-player code too.

One of them is Bok Sevens captain Sizophila Solontsi, who recently played at the Hermanus Sevens in preparation for a tournament in France this month.

“We had our goals going into the Hermanus Sevens, and one of those goals was to not let any team score against us. Not conceding any tries and playing the ball wide were achievements for us,” said Solontsi.

South Africa’s Sizophila Solontsi breaks through France’s defence during Women’s Autumn Internationals, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes, France.

“That tournament really helped us, especially because we have some new girls and some of them hadn’t even played Sevens before, so it was a good introduction.

“The goal now is to focus on more technical things and structures and, of course, we now shift our focus to Rugby Africa.”

Solontsi was part of the team that made their debut at the Cape Town Sevens in 2019 – the last time the World Rugby Sevens Series visited SA.

Nolusindiso Booi wins a lineout for South Africa against France’s Coumba Diallo at the Stade de la Rabine, Vannes, France in 2021.

It was an experience that proved invaluable to Solontsi, which she hopes will stand her in good stead when she returns with her Bok Sevens teammates for the tournament at Cape Town Stadium in September.

“For me personally, I would take that experience (of playing at the Cape Town Sevens) and put it in my pocket, because it was massive,” Solintsi said.

“It was overwhelming, but it also helps knowing that we have a few players in the squad that played at that kind of level. That will really benefit the lesser-experienced players.”

Springbok 15s women’s captain Nolusindiso Booi is equally upbeat about her team’s chances in New Zealand, especially after the recent camps with Bok men’s forwards coach Deon Davids, where extensive work was done on the physical aspect of the game.

“There are a lot of things we can take from that, for example, with our lineout jumpers,” Booi said.

“Also, since we are struggling with our scrums, now each and every player knows what they were doing wrong. So, we have learnt those small details, and now we can combine them with something better.”

South Africa’s Sizophila Solontsi (centre) tackled by Barbarians’ Jenny Murphy (right) during the Autumn International match at Twickenham Stadium, London.