Nolusindiso Booi will make a record 39th Test appearance at lock, Byrhandrè Dolf will start at wing, Micke Gunter at hooker, and Catha Jacobs at flanker in four changes to the Springbok Women starting team to face Italy in the second round of WXV 2 at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Friday.
The Springbok Women are under no illusions about Italy and their abilities when they face the European side in their second WXV 2 clash at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Friday afternoon.
Springbok Women head coach Louis Koen praised his team's effort in a close opening match in WXV2 against Scotland in Stellenbosch on Friday afternoon and said the experience gained from the encounter will benefit them hugely.
The wait is over and all the planning and training towards WXV will finally become reality for the Springbok Women when they take on Scotland in the opening round of the exciting new global women’s competition at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch on Friday.
They have prepared as well as possible and apart from a few unfortunate injuries along the way, the Springbok Women will enter the inaugural WXV 2 with much anticipation and excitement, ready to use the opportunity to test themselves against some formidable competition.
Former Proteas netball player Sikholiwe ‘Sne’ Mdletshe will make her international rugby debut later this month after she was included in the Springbok Women’s Sevens squad for the Rugby Africa Women's Sevens Olympics 2024 Qualifier in Tunisa on 14 and 15 October.
There were some lapses in concentration and poor play in their victory over the Zimbabwean Under-20s in East London on Tuesday, but Junior Springbok Women head coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt was pleased with the overall effort by her squad and feels that a number of players showed good promise in this pathway to the Springbok Women set-up.
The Springbok Women are keen to eliminate mistakes from their matches in recent weeks when they face Samoa in their final warm-up Test before the start of WXV in Hermanus on Saturday.
Nineteen players with Rugby World Cup experience have been included in the Springbok Women squad for WXV 2 named by interim head coach Louis Koen on Friday for the inaugural World Rugby showpiece tournament, to be played in the Western Cape next month.
The Springbok Women showed good progress over the last five weeks, learned valuable lessons on their way and will enter next month's WXV 2 tournament well prepared and as ready as can be.