Latest news with #NolusindisoBooi
Eyewitness News
2 days ago
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Bok Women's coach aiming for Rugby World Cup play-offs
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa head coach Swys de Bruin believes an experienced squad led by the Springbok women's most capped player Nolusindiso Booi can "push them towards the play-offs" of the Rugby World Cup. Booi, capped 52 times, also captained the squad at the previous tournament in New Zealand in 2022 and is one of 19 players out of the 32-player squad with previous Women's Rugby World Cup experience. South Africa, whose poor record pales into insignificance compared to the men's team who have won the global showpiece a record four times, are in Pool D for the tournament, which is being held in England and runs from 22 August to 27 September. They face a tough challenge to even progress from the pool stage with Six Nations runners-up France favourites to top it. They open their campaign against Brazil on 24 August followed by an improving Italy a week later and round it off against the French on 7 September. Booi is South Africa's most experienced Test captain, having led the side in 23 Tests, and will be backed up by vice-captain Babalwa Latsha, who has skippered the Bok Women in 14 Test matches. Booi (2010, 2014, 2022) and Tayla Kinsey (2014, 2022) are the most experienced players in the squad, which boasts a combined total of 689 Test caps. They will be missing one key player in Lusanda Dumke, the 28-year-old 33-times capped flanker will be absent owing to health concerns. All 32 players selected featured either against Spain in April, the Rugby Africa Women's Cup, the two Tests against Canada in July, or the two recent internationals against the Black Ferns XV. De Bruin said what excites him most are the combinations they will work with. "I believe that will push us towards the play-offs as we have so many options for each opponent, and that will boost our abilities," he said. "This selection is a culmination of hard work and sacrifice for the players, and I want to congratulate them. "We all know the journeys each one travelled and for most, it was not easy." Squad Forwards: Sanelisiwe Charlie (Bulls Daisies), Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Golden Lions Women), Yonela Ngxingolo (Bulls Daisies), Babalwa Latsha (unattached), Nombuyekezo Mdliki (Border Ladies), Micke Gunter (Leicester Tigers Women/ENG), Lindelwa Gwala (unattached), Luchell Hanekom (Western Province), Nolusindiso Booi (Western Province/capt), Danelle Lochner (Harlequins Women/ENG), Nomsa Mokwai (Western Province), Anathi Qolo (Bulls Daisies), Vainah Ubisi (Bulls Daisies), Aseza Hele (Boland Dames), Catha Jacobs (unattached), Lerato Makua (Bulls Daisies), Sinazo Mcatshulwa (unattached), Sizophila Solontsi (Bulls Daisies), Faith Tshauke (Bulls Daisies) Backs: Unam Tose (Bulls Daisies), Tayla Kinsey (Sharks Women), Libbie Janse van Rensburg (Bulls Daisies), Mary Zulu (Sharks Women), Zintle Mpupha (Bulls Daisies), Aphiwe Ngwevu (Border Ladies), Chumisa Qawe (Bulls Daisies), Eloise Webb (Border Ladies), Jakkie Cilliers (Bulls Daisies), Ayanda Malinga (Bulls Daisies), Maceala Samboya (Boland Dames), Byrhandré Dolf (Bulls Daisies), Nadine Roos (unattached)
IOL News
2 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Bok Women bank on experience in naming squad for Women's Rugby World Cup
Nolusindiso Booi, centre, the Springbok Women's most experienced Test captain, will once again lead the team at 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in England. Nolusindiso Booi, the most-capped Springbok Women's player, will lead a strong, experienced South African squad boasting a combined 689 Test caps to the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in England in a few weeks' time. Bok Women's head coach Swys de Bruin's squad for the World Cup – where South Africa will face Brazil, Italy and France in Pool D – was named at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday. Booi, who captained the squad at the previous tournament in New Zealand in 2022, is also South Africa's most experienced Test captain, having led the side in 23 Tests. She said she was excited to have made the cut. 'We know the work needs to start again because we've been working so hard until now. We've been prepared enough and we did have a couple of games where we did have a crowd, because that is one of the things that are making people nervous when they reach that stage,' she said. Babalwa Latsha, who captained the Bok Women in 14 Test matches as well as in the recent Black Ferns XV series, was named as vice-captain. Booi and Tayla Kinsey are the most experienced players in the squad, with 19 of the 32 players boasting previous World Cup experience. Eight of the 19 forwards will be experiencing a Women's Rugby World Cup for the first time. Four of the 13 backs will represent South Africa on this level for the first time. All 32 players selected for the Women's Rugby World Cup featured either against Spain in April, the Rugby Africa Women's Cup, the two Tests against Canada in July, or the two recent internationals against the Black Ferns XV, which was a telling factor in their final selection, according to De Bruin.
The South African
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Bok Women ask SA to be their #PlusOne for RWC '25
With the Rugby World Cup in England kicking off in less than a month, the Bok Women have invited South Africans to join them on their journey and to become their '+1'. This call to arms was unveiled by SA Rugby on Wednesday, with the #PlusOne campaign aiming to rally the nation behind the Bok Women in a nationwide movement designed to celebrate their progress, ignite national pride, and unite South Africans in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup 2025 in England. The campaign invites every South African to play a part in the team's pursuit of excellence, not just as spectators, but as daily sources of encouragement, belief, and momentum created by the rallying cry: 'Follow Our Journey. Be Our +1'. The #PlusOne campaign celebrates the power of small steps with big impact: one extra repetition in the gym; one more tackle; one more metre with ball in hand; one extra supporter; one better day than the last. Together, these steps build legacy and every South African is invited on the journey with the Bok Women, a team forged in grit and part of a nation bound by progress. Bok Women captain Nolusindiso Booi said they are fully synced to the call. 'We are not new to a challenge,' she said. 'For a long time, we fought for visibility and opportunity. Now, we have that and with the country backing us, we know we go out there with the full weight of the nation behind us. 'Whether you're a young girl dreaming big on a dusty pitch somewhere in a rural area like I did, or a father watching proudly from your couch, whether you're a lifelong rugby fan or cheering us on for the very first time, you are part of this movement, and we would love you to become our #PlusOne .' Follow the Bok Women's journey at @WomenBoks (on Instagram and X), @SAWomensRugby (on Facebook), and (on TikTok), and show your support using the hashtag #PlusOne . No matter where you are – your belief fuels their next step. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE BOK WOMEN BY Leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Springbok Women focus on breakdown improvements ahead of second Test against Canada
Captain Nolusindiso Booi, South Africa's most-capped women's player, is confident that the Springbok Women will turn last weekend's breakdown woes around against Canada on Saturday. The Springbok Women struggled at the breakdown area in the first Test against Canada at Loftus at the weekend, so it was no wonder that it was an area of focus ahead of tomorrow's second Test at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. The Bok Women conceded a flurry of penalties at the breakdown in the 50-20 loss against the world's second-ranked team in Pretoria on Saturday. They also struggled in the scrums and line-outs, typically an area of strength for the powerful South Africans. Bok Women's forwards coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt said they had worked hard on fixing Saturday's shortcomings at training this week. 'We definitley want to sharpen our skills again at set-piece time, scrums and line-outs,' she said. 'We had a big focus on the breakdown, on being explosive there. 'Their reaction to the breakdown needs to be sharper and quicker. We did a lot of drills around getting that back on track. 'We just want to be out there doing our best at set-piece time because that's our superpower and we want to be good at it.' While the assistant coach revealed that the forward pack would remain unchanged, there has been a change at flank. Sinazo Mcatshulwa drops to the bench and is replaced in the starting line-up by Catha Jacobs, who brings experience and firepower to the squad.
The Herald
09-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Bok Women ooze optimism while sharing their expertise in Zwide
Morale and team spirit were high as the Springbok Women's team conducted a rugby clinic at Ndzondelelo High School in the heart of Zwide on Wednesday morning. The national team are coming off the back of a 50-20 defeat at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria at the weekend and have been in constant training and preparation ahead of their second Test against Canada at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday. But the Bok Women found time in their busy schedule to run a training workshop in the backyard of men's double World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi, as the youths got the opportunity to run drills with the team and get a feel for what to expect in a competitive rugby environment. The Boks' socially responsible presence is always felt in inner-city communities, where effective communication encourages the youth to pursue sports and interact with South African heroes. The team's second row lock, Catha Jacobs, reinforced the critical nature of rugby promotion 'A big thing in our team is to promote rugby, to grow rugby for girls and for boys. 'Being out here today having loads of girls and boys here, this is why we play rugby, for days like this. 'The girls here, the boys here, they are the future of rugby. 'If you have a dream, follow your dream, work as hard as possible and also surround yourself with people who have similar goals as you, and that will help you.' Under the experienced captaincy of Nolusindiso Booi, the Boks have their eyes set on the Canada game with great optimism while looking to gain as much preparation as possible to guarantee a fortifying run at the Women's World Cup in August.
