The exposure of playing in the HSBC SVNS 2024 season has benefitted the Springbok Women's Sevens team tremendously and although it has not always shown in the results, the improvement of the team has been real and heartwarming.
The Springbok Women are well aware of the potential reward at the end of their next journey to Madagascar, but they will not make the mistake of focusing only on the ultimate prize and to then be tripped up by something unexpected because they looked too far ahead.
Experienced Springbok Women’s players Nomawethu Mabenge, Lusanda Dumke and Sizophila Solontsi have been included in the national squad for the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar next month, where qualification for the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England is at stake.
They have “been there and done that” in their Springbok Sevens careers of close to a decade, but for Dylan Sage and Siviwe Soyizwapi, a return to the familiar HSBC SVNS circuit is almost like a new beginning and an experience they are embracing with a broad smile on their faces.
When the Junior Springboks open their Under-20 Rugby Championship campaign against New Zealand at the Sunshine Coast Stadium on Thursday, they will have the benefit of calling on the calmness of towering lock JF van Heerden.
The Bulls Daisies and Sanlam Boland Dames kept their unbeaten records intact in the third round of the Women’s Premier Division with big victories over EP Queens and Golden Lions Women respectively on Saturday, while Border Ladies and DHL Western Province remained in the top four with wins over the Sharks and Free State Women.
The DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls kept alive their aspirations to host Vodacom United Rugby Championship playoffs in a largely rewarding weekend for the South African teams, with the only blemish being the Emirates Lions’ defeat against defending champions, Munster.
The third round of the Women’s Premier Division will expose six of the eight teams in the competition to big stadium atmosphere this weekend and add to the exposure of the game to a wider rugby audience.
High-profile messages of support continue to pour in for Mamelodi Sundowns, with Springbok icons Cheslin Kolbe and Beast Mtawarira the latest to wish them good luck ahead of Friday's CAF Champions League semi-final.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has sent his best wishes to Mamelodi Sundowns as they prepare to take on Tunisian side Esperance in the semi-final second leg of the CAF Champions League on Friday.