South Africa’s national women’s rugby team battled back beautifully to draw the two match Test series against Japan.
The Boks won the second match at the Kumagaya Rugby Stadium in Saitama 20-10.
Japan started as the favourites in this Test after defeating South Africa’s women 15-6 in the opening match of the series last week. Playing with that momentum, the hosts grabbed the lead within the first five minutes – thanks to some patient and consistent attacking play.
The Springboks remained on the defensive for the better part of the half before speedster Ayanda Malinga turned the game on its head.
The winger, set up by flyhalf Libbie Janse Van Rensburg, motored past Japan’s defenders to score South Africa’s first try of the series.
Malinga was back in business with try number two in as many minutes thanks to a team effort, as the Boks resurgence saw them take a 12-5 lead going into half-time.
In quick succession, Ayanda Malinga gets two well-worked tries in as many minutes.
Lead now 12-5 after 35 minutes pic.twitter.com/LA1CltemN0— Springbok Women (@WomenBoks) July 30, 2022
The first points of the second stanza came off the boot of South Africa’s flyhalf Janse van Rensburg, about 20 minutes in, taking the visitors 10 points to the good, with a penalty.
The Springboks crossed the white-wash one more time in the dying minutes, as a charging Nadine Roos made a dream run to set up Simamkele Namba.
Japan’s women managed to score a consolation try before the end of the game, but South Africa’s women had done enough to level the two match series, with a comprehensive 20-10 victory.
The Boks next assignment before the World Cup in October will be a two match Test series against Spain, at home, in two weeks time.
