Having grown up in the Border region, shared change rooms at Western Province and the Bulls Daisies, as well as with the Springbok Women at the Rugby World Cup and the Springbok Women’s Sevens, one can almost expect Zintle Mpupha and Simamkele Namba to complete each other's sentences.
Nolusindiso Booi might be achieving a milestone 50th Test cap for South Africa, but for the Springbok Women’s captain, there is no “I” in team when they face Spain in their season opener on Saturday afternoon.
The Springbok Women’s commanding victory over Spain in Alicante was a good start to their season and according to a very pleased Swys de Bruin, the performance brought smiles to the faces of his coaching staff.
Long-serving captain Nolusindiso Booi will become the first player to reach 50 Test caps for the Springbok Women when South Africa face Spain at Campo de Rugby Amorós Palao in Elche on Saturday.
There is no denying the fact that the Springbok Women have established themselves as a formidable set piece team with good success in converting their dominance in those areas into points, which is why there are no reasons why they should move away from that area of excellence when they play Spain in Elche on Saturday, in what will be South Africa’s first Test of the year.
Having safely arrived in Alicante, Spain from France on Sunday, the Springbok Women had a very productive first training session and according to Performance Coach Swys de Bruin, “Operation Spain” is now officially underway.
The Springbok Women outmuscled an England age-group side 50-17 in Marcoussis on Saturday, with a powerful scrum performance providing the foundation for a satisfactory win and end to their first week of touring France and Spain.
There are a number of objectives for the Springbok Women to reach when they face an England age-group team at Marcoussis in France on Saturday, but for Eloise Webb the most important job on the day would be to stick with structures and implement a good week of learning into the game.
There were smiles all around for the Springbok Women after a productive hit-out with their French counterparts in Marcoussis, and according to assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt the squad will benefit greatly from the training session heading towards the Rugby World Cup in August.
Springbok speedster Cheslin Kolbe became the first backline player since 2013 to take the prestigious SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year title at a glittering SA Rugby Awards ceremony at the International Convention Centre in Cape Town, while Nadine Roos took home the top women’s award for a second time.