women’s rugby
women’s internationals
The Springbok Women are relying heavily on veteran experience for their upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final rematch against the Black Ferns in Soweto this weekend.
A total of 11 players from the starting lineup that faced the Black Ferns in last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 match are set to start in Saturday’s fixture, which is featured in a Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry doubleheader at FNB Stadium.
During the team announcement, it was confirmed that South African head coach Swys de Bruin has departed his position. In his absence, assistant coaches Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September will take charge of the squad as joint co-coaches.
Six members of the starting pack from that World Cup quarter-final meeting will take the field once more this weekend, alongside five of the backline players from the same game. Babalwa Latsha will captain the Springbok Women from the tighthead prop position.
Laurian Johannes-Haupt, co-coach of the Springbok Women, remarked: “We have been able to develop greater squad depth since our game earlier in the season during the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup, as well as our matches against the USA Eagles Women and Fijiana.
“We are confident that this is the correct selection for this match, and we are heading to FNB Stadium with a highly targeted tactical plan.
“As Springbok Women, we possess distinct qualities, particularly our intense physicality during first-phase play, so we have no intention of changing that approach.
“We are fully prepared for what the Black Ferns will offer, but we selected this roster because we intend to play our own brand of rugby, rather than adapting to their specific lineup.”
Springbok Women Lineup to Face Black Ferns
15 Byrhandré Dolf (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
14 Alichia Arries (DHL Western Province)
13 Zintle Mpupha (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
12 Aphiwe Ngwevu (Border Ladies)
11 Ayanda Malinga (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
10 Libbie Janse van Rensburg (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
9 Unam Tose (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
1 Sanelisiwe Charlie (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
2 Lindelwa Gwala (Sharks Women)
3 Babalwa Latsha (captain, DHL Western Province)
4 Vainah Ubisi (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
5 Danelle Lochner (Harlequins Women)
6 Sizophila Solontsi (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
7 Catha Jacobs (Golden Lions Women)
8 Aseza Hele (Sanlam Boland Dames)
Substitutes
16 Anushka Groenewald (DHL Western Province)
17 Yonela Ngxingolo (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
18 Nombuyekezo Mdliki (Border Ladies)
19 Nomsa Mokwai (DHL Western Province)
20 Shiniqwa Lamprecht (Sanlam Boland Dames)
21 Logan Welman (DHL Western Province)
22 Anacadia Minnaar (EP Queens)
23 Maceala Samboya (Sanlam Boland Dames)
