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.
It will be a reunion of sorts for Catha Jacobs at Athlone Stadium on Saturday when the Springbok Women No 8 lines up for her country against the Barbarians in what she believes will be a highly entertaining match to watch.
The Springbok Women will be looking for a few important outcomes when they face Kenya at the University of the Western Cape Rugby Club on Saturday and for the team’s captain on the day, Babalwa Latsha, a number of building blocks will have to put in place for both teams in the clash.
Springbok Women interim head coach Louis Koen handed Unathi Mali a first start for the national team at wing and recalled outside backs Veroeshka Grain and Piwokuhle Nyanda to the side to face Kenya at UWC Rugby Club in Cape Town on Saturday.
The Springbok Women have been hard at work over the last couple of weeks and cannot wait to have their efforts tested in a match, so they are keenly anticipating Saturday's Test against Kenya in Cape Town.
In a boost to the management of the Springbok Women, the experienced Franzel September has been added to the team’s coaching staff, joining Laurian Johannes-Haupt as assistant to interim head coach Louis Koen.