Patience Mokone set to shine in Springbok debut at Rugby Africa Women's Cup
The odds on Springbok winger Patience Mokone enjoying another try-scoring international debut are pretty high for the flyer who can't seem to keep away from the opposition tryline, no matter the format.
She did it on her Springbok Women's Sevens debut as South Africa beat Argentina in the final of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger tournament in Poland. She also featured in the play-off tournament in Los Angeles that ended in heartbreak for SA in the HSBC SVNS Play-off tournament.
Now, the 22-year-old Bulls Daisies wing has the chance to announce herself to the Test arena as part of the Springbok squad that will defend their Rugby Africa Women's Cup title in Madagascar.
The Springbok Women face Uganda in the first of three Rugby Africa Women's Cup matches in Antananarivo on Saturday next week. Kenya and the hosts are the other teams competing.
Mokone, the leading try-scorer in the Women's Premier Division this year, with 13 tries for the Daises, is blessed with blistering pace, offload ability, a wicked sidestep, strength, and reads the game well.
She is a nightmare for any defender, as South Africa's continental rivals could soon discover should coach Swys de Bruin choose to unleash her in Madagascar.
'Yes, it has been a good couple of months for me,' Mokone said, beaming, as the squad went through their paces in Johannesburg, from where they will fly out to Madagascar on Wednesday.
'I was a bit surprised about the sevens call-up, to be honest, but not overawed, as I knew that I was well-prepared for any eventual call-up. It was nice to play in the green and gold and I am proud of how we played in Krakow and even Los Angeles, although the results did not go our way.
'It certainly made me want more, so now that I am in line to possibly make my debut for the fifteens team is another huge opportunity.'
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