Springbok Women Ready to Shine in Rugby World Cup
South Africa's women's rugby team is making waves in the Rugby World Cup. Find out more about their inspiring story and upcoming match against France.
“Girls really want to play rugby so there's not those blockers and barriers that you might have in other countries where girls...”
The South African women's rugby team is riding high after making history with their first-ever quarter-final appearance in the Rugby World Cup. Inspired by the success of the four-time world champion Springboks, they're gearing up to face France in a crucial match. Despite not enjoying the same level of public adoration as the men's squad, the women's team has made significant strides since their revival.
Their Journey So Far
The team didn't participate between 2014 and 2017 due to lack of support and investment.
However, they've since gained momentum, with notable wins, including a 46-17 victory over Madagascar to retain the Rugby Africa Women's Cup title.
This success has not only boosted their confidence but also earned them a spot in the top 10 of the World Rugby rankings.
The Impact of Siya Kolisi
- Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has been a vocal supporter of the women's team, championing their cause and helping to shift the narrative around women's rugby in South Africa.
- Players like Aseza Hele credit Kolisi with helping to bring attention and respect to the women's game, citing his humility and warmth as an inspiration.
The Springbok Women, led by coach Swys de Bruin, are set to face France in their final pool game on Sunday. Having already secured a historic spot in the quarterfinals after their impressive 29-24 win against higher-ranked Italy, the team is riding high on confidence. According to former coach Stanley Raubenheimer, who spearheaded the team's revival from 2018 to 2022, “We are sitting on a goldmine that can explode if we're really serious about it.” This statement underscores the potential that the Springbok Women possess, and their upcoming match against France will be a crucial test of their abilities.
HISTORY MADE! ✨
— Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) September 1, 2025
For the first time ever, the Springbok Women are through to the QUARTER-FINALS of the Rugby World Cup! 🌍🔥#TeamSA #ForMyCountry pic.twitter.com/TBe3hc1q9M
Previous Performance:
The Springbok Women's recent performance has shown promise, particularly in their match against Italy, where they demonstrated determination and skill. Their pool stage fixtures include matches against Brazil and Italy, both of which will be crucial in determining their final standings. With France being one of the top-ranked teams in their pool, the upcoming match will undoubtedly be a challenging encounter for the Springbok Women.
The success of South Africa's women's rugby team can be attributed to Rassie Erasmus's strategic focus on the sport in 2019, when he served as SA Rugby Union's director of rugby. Under his guidance, the team has made significant strides, including a historic quarterfinal appearance in the Rugby World Cup. The numbers tell a compelling story: between 2021 and 2024, the number of licensed players nearly doubled, growing from 3,900 to 6,800. This surge in participation has paved the way for the launch of the first professional women's franchise, the Bulls Daisies, in 2023.
South Africa's women's rugby team is poised for significant growth, with plans for more professional franchises beyond the current Bulls Daisies. SA Rugby is launching the Women's Super League Rugby in 2025, featuring four to five clubs with centrally contracted players. This move aims to elevate the top female rugby talent and potentially lead to a fully professional women's game.
Key Developments:
Women's Super League Rugby: SA Rugby's new elite competition will provide a platform for women's rugby, with participating teams expected to meet strict requirements.
Increased Participation: The number of licensed players has nearly doubled from 3,900 to 6,800 between 2021 and 2024, indicating growing interest in women's rugby.
Professional Franchises: More franchises will be introduced, building on the success of the Bulls Daisies, the only full-time contracted team in the existing league.
Transformation Plan: SA Rugby's Strategic Transformation Development Plan (STDP) 2030 aims to grow female participation by 30% by 2027 and promote diversity and inclusion in the sport.
Coach Swys de Bruin highlights the parallels between the men's and women's teams but notes a significant gap still exists. With these developments, South African women's rugby is set to make strides in professionalism and competitiveness.
The South African women's rugby team, Springbok Women, made history with a 66-6 win over Brazil in their World Cup opening match on August 24. This significant victory marked their first World Cup pool stage win since 2010. However, the team's achievement went largely unnoticed in local sports bars, where few people were watching despite the game being broadcast on television.
A security guard at Benchwarmers Sports Bar in Johannesburg offered a simple explanation: “On Sundays, people rest.” This laid-back attitude towards Sundays might have contributed to the low turnout, but sports bars like Benchwarmers are usually bustling with fans cheering on their favorite teams.
Some popular sports bars in Johannesburg where you can catch live rugby matches include:
Benchwarmers Sports Bar: Known for its vibrant atmosphere and extensive sports coverage, featuring a wide range of popular sports, including rugby.
The Troyeville Hotel: Offers a casual and interactive experience with live screening of sports events.
Molly Malone's: An Irish pub with multiple screens showing live matches, perfect for rugby fans.
Milk Bar: A trendy spot with high-definition TVs and ample outdoor seating.
Hogshead: A popular spot for rugby fans with live screening and drink specials.
Montecasino's Outdoor Piazza: Features live performances and big viewing screens for an epic rugby viewing experience.
The atmosphere was vastly different from the day before, when fans packed venues across the city in gold and green jerseys to watch the Springboks secure a thrilling 30-22 win against Australia. Now, with history already made, Springbok Women prop Yonela Ngxingolo believes their World Cup run could have a profound impact on the game. “Definitely, because even the numbers have grown right now in terms of exposure and people seeing us,” Ngxingolo said in an interview with AFP. This increased visibility, she added, means “there are more girls out there that are going to be inspired.”
Ngxingolo's optimism is backed by recent growth in women's rugby participation, with the number of licensed players in South Africa nearly doubling from 3,900 to 6,800 between 2021 and 2024. The team's historic quarterfinal appearance, secured with a 29-24 win over Italy, has brought women's rugby into the spotlight. As Ngxingolo noted, this exposure can inspire a new generation of young female players.
The Springbok Women, led by forwards coach Franzel September, are known for their physicality and dominant performance in the forward pack. “We pride ourselves on our physicality,” September said. “We know we can bully you up front. That's in our DNA.” This approach has been instrumental in their success, including their historic quarterfinal appearance in the Rugby World Cup.
Aseza Hele: A Key Player
Aseza Hele is a prime example of this physicality, playing as a loose forward with impressive stats: 172cm tall and weighing 88kg. She's a key player for the Springbok Women, known for her powerful runs and tackles that have earned her recognition as one of the world's top back-rowers. Hele's journey into rugby is inspiring, having started playing by chance after her netball training schedule clashed with her work commitments.
Impact on Representation
Hele's presence in the team also highlights the growing diversity in South African women's rugby. As one of the Black players in the team, she contributes to making the women's squad more representative of the country's demographics, unlike the largely white men's team. This shift towards greater representation is crucial for the sport's growth and development in South Africa.
The Springbok women's rugby team has garnered attention for its diverse composition, with former coach Stanley Raubenheimer noting that women's rugby seems “more prevalent in the Black culture.” This diversity has contributed to the team's success, with minimal barriers to participation. Lynne Cantwell, the team's former high-performance manager, echoes this sentiment, stating, “Girls really want to play rugby so there's not those blockers and barriers that you might have in other countries where girls don't know whether they want to play a contact sport.”
Cantwell's Insights into Women's Rugby
Cantwell, who led the women's high-performance program from 2021 to 2024, believes that women's rugby in South Africa has tremendous potential for growth. She emphasizes the importance of creating a welcoming environment for girls and women to play rugby, highlighting the sport's ability to teach valuable life skills and promote personal growth. Under her guidance, the Springbok Women qualified for the Rugby World Cup in England next year.
Growing Women's Rugby in South Africa
The team's progress is a testament to the efforts of SA Rugby and stakeholders to promote women's rugby. With the number of licensed players nearly doubling from 3,900 to 6,800 between 2021 and 2024, the future looks bright for South African women's rugby. Cantwell's departure to join the Irish Rugby Football Union as Head of Women's Strategy will not affect her role as a consultant to the Springbok Women until the Rugby World Cup.
The South African “high school system is an absolutely unbelievably ripe breeding ground for excellent talent,” she said, adding that she hopes “in the next couple of years that will get stronger and there'll be more schools getting involved and more competitive in the girls' game.”
What's Next
- The Springbok Women will face France in their quarter-final match, a team they've previously trained with and believe they can compete against.
- Despite the challenge ahead, the team is confident, with players like Libbie Janse van Rensburg expressing their determination to make a deep run in the tournament.
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