The Springbok women are about to enter the most important fortnight of their playing careers when they kick off their World Cup campaign in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday morning.
The Boks will play fourth-ranked France at Eden Park in a Pool C match, and that will be followed by clashes against Fiji and England over the following two weekends.
The team did not enter the last World Cup in Ireland in order to regroup and reprioritise the women’s game in the country. Now is the time to show off their hard-won gains.
Following the country’s withdrawal from the 2017 showpiece in Ireland, the Springbok women began a period of rebuilding and a renewed effort to make a mark on the world game.
Flanker Sizophila Solontsi believes the process was vital for the team to grow.
“The decision to put a pause in the women’s game after that World Cup, I feel like personally, it put a lot of emphasis on the development of the game and I feel like this World Cup, we will basically be showing that hard work knowing how far the game has come and how far the ladies have worked to get to this stage. So, I feel like this is the opportunity for the ladies to also just prove to the world and South Africa specifically that, that pause was worth that wait,” says Solontsi
The Springbok women are ranked 11th in the world, and while they take encouragement from recent wins over Spain and Japan, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, flyhalf for the Springboks, knows that losses to the higher-ranked nations offer valuable lessons.
“Looking back at last year, the tough losses that we faced definitely brought us closer as a team. It really opened our eyes to the level that we need to get to. Following that, though, the wins that we had, I think those wins were extremely significant. The first one in Japan, was the first one for our team on away soil, so that is something that has really united our team immensely. And then heading from that to the Spain series, it was really a great momentum that our team has been building. Like I said, uniting the team is really something that has never been done before, and I look forward to showing the world what we have to offer. “
The team is also very aware that they represent a far greater end than just what they do at this World Cup.
Janse Van Rensburg says the team has a duty to get the message of rugby out to South African girls to show them what is possible.
“Just the fact that we are here with the team that we have is quite an achievement for us, irrespective of what the results say. We know that the people back home are really proud of what we have done. If we can just get our message out there to inspire the young girls, the next generation of rugby players coming into the system, that is essentially what we want to do at the end of the day. Regardless of what the scoreboard says, we are here to learn, we are here to grow, and I think this will definitely be a great stepping stone leading into the future. I think the future is endless now for women’s rugby in South Africa. We are on such a good wicket and who knows what is to come. It is looking great,” she says.
It has been a long journey to get to this point for this group of players, and both Solontsi and Van Rensburg are in agreement that it is finally time to demonstrate what this team is capable of on a World cup stage.
“The mood has been really great, especially now that we are fine-tuning and getting ready for Saturday, and we, as players, know that it is game on now and it is game week and we are ready and focused. There has definitely been a buzz this week. It is game week. So, our game faces have been on since Monday already, and I think we are all just ready to take to the field and show the world what South Africa really can do,” says Solontsi.
The Springbok women begin their World Cup against France at Eden Park in Auckland in the very early hours of Saturday morning.
