The Springbok Women will face Samoa in their final WXV 2 match at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Friday without Tayla Kinsey, Luchell Hanekom and Aseza Hele.
Springbok Women coach Louis Koen applauded the fighting spirit shown by his players at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, although they were beaten by Italy in an epic match in the second round of WXV 2 on Friday.
Despite being a regular starter at scrumhalf and fairly injury free, it took Tayla Kinsey all of a decade to get to 30 Test caps for the Springbok Women, and on Friday, she and her teammates will face Italy for only the second time ever since South Africa started playing international rugby in 2004.
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.