Latest news with #SpringbokWomen'sSevens
The Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Patience Mokone set to shine in Springbok debut at Rugby Africa Women's Cup
Patience Mokone of the Bulls Daisies will be hoping to make her Test debut for South Africa in the Rugby Africa Women's Cup in Madagascar. 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.'
IOL News
31-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Patience Mokone set to shine in Springbok debut at Rugby Africa Women's Cup
Patience Mokone of the Bulls Daisies will be hoping to make her Test debut for South Africa in the Rugby Africa Women's Cup in Madagascar. 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.'
IOL News
04-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Springbok Women's Sevens secure thrilling victory over Argentina
Zintle Mpupha experience was invaluable for teh Springbok Women's Sevens team against Argentina on Sunday night. | Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix The Springbok Women's Sevens team beat Argentina 17-14 in their drama-filled play-off encounter to secure a crucial place in the Top 4 at the HSBC SVNS play-off tournament at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles on Sunday. Replacement centre Leigh Fortuin, who had scored her first try for South Africa in an earlier loss against China, scored probably the biggest try of her fledgling sevens career to seal the late win for the Springbok Women's Sevens. The victory means that the South Africans have secured a place in the second-tier World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series next season, and therefore a shot at restoring their core HSBC SVNS World Series status. The Bok Women's Sevens had endured an up- and-down start in their first two pool games in Los Angeles on Saturday, beating Ireland by 12-7 before going down to China 26-12 in their second game. But they were able to set things straight in the play-off against Argentina, who also featured in the Challenger Series tournaments alongside the South Africans. In fact, the South African side had beaten the Argentina Women in the final of the Challenger Series tournament in Poland. The South African side had to make do without the assured presence of injured skipper Mathrin Simmers. But there was plenty of experience in the form of forwards Zintle Mpupha and Simamkele Namba, and exciting attacking talent Nadine Roos. The SA side knocked the ball into touch off the kick-off but drove Argentina back with their rush defence. They failed to take advantage of a break down the right wing, again knocking the ball on in a promising position. Video Player is loading. 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Next Stay Close ✕ The defensive intensity from both sides was noticeable, with the Springbok Women shading the early exchanges. That pressure told when Ayanda Malinga scored the first points for SA after Argentina spilled the ball in a tackle near their tryline. Roos kicked the conversion (7-0). The SA side weathered some pressure from Argentina but Zandile Masuku was yellow-carded with seconds left on the clock in the first half. Argentina made the extra player count straight away, moving the ball through the hands and shifting the South African defence sideways, before scoring via Sofia Gonzalez, and adding the extra two points off the boot. The sides were level at 7-7 at half-time. Coach Renfred Dazel brought Fortuin on for the second half, and she would have the final say. The #BokWomen7s refused to give up and scored two late tries to beat Argentina by 17-14 in their final pool game in LA - more at 😤#RiseUp #HSBCSVNS — SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) May 4, 2025 But Argentina got the first try of the second stanza to go 14-7 up with SA still one player down. Shiniqwa Lamprech was brought on for Masuku. Malinga pulled off a try-saving tackle but the South Africans were getting pinged for repeated infringements at the breakdown. Their handling was also sloppy. The Springbok Women were forced to play on the back foot with three minutes remaining in the match. However, Maria Tshiremba sprinted the length of the field to dot down after Roos intercepted a pass in their 22 and set the speedster on her way. Game on!
IOL News
03-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Springbok Women's Sevens still focused on Hollywood ending despite shifting goalposts
Mathrin Simmers Mathrin Simmers, carrying the ball, will lead the Springbok Women's Sevens side in Los Angeles this weekend. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix There will be no Hollywood ending for the Springbok Women's Sevens team, who were dreaming of a quick return to rugby sevens' top table via this weekend's HSBC SVNS Play-off tournament at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles. World Rugby announced on Thursday that the HSBC SVNS format will change for the next season and that only eight teams will participate in each gender, making it impossible for the South African side to join their Blitzbok counterparts in the elite competition. A second-tier series with three tournaments was introduced, and Renfred Dazel's team will now target that to maintain their momentum and standing in the world game. Only a top-four finish in LA will secure their place in the second-tier tournament, and failure to do so will force them to the regional qualifications route again. The original format had the bottom four teams in the 12-team HSBC SVNS Series playing the top four teams in the lower tier Challenger Series for four spots in the elite league at the play-off tournament in the US. The Springbok Women's Sevens head coach is refusing to focus on the dramatic 11th-hour plot twist, however. "If you think of the situation last year, it was a format that no one did before, but this one is slightly better because if you top your pool, then you don't have to play any more games, you qualify. And if finish last in your pool, you're eliminated," Dazel said. "If you finish second and third, there's one more play-off game, but hopefully we don't go there and we just get through our pool, and we'll see. "The plan is to set the standard in the first game against Ireland, and take it further from there. Video Player is loading. 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Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ "We played them before and were competitive, bar a lapse or two, and that cost us. "We are breaking up this match by minutes. We want to make sure we win every minute and play. If we do, the result will be ours." The South Africans lost their World Series core status in Madrid last year, and according to Dazel, they learnt valuable lessons then. The former Blitzboks star said the fact that they played all three opponents before will help in their planning. The #HSBCSVNS format may have changed, but for the #BokWomen7s, the goal remains the same in LA this weekend - more here: 🫡#RiseUp — SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) May 2, 2025 He feels that defence will be key against China: 'They play a lot like Japan – they keep the ball alive and do their swivels, play their deep switches, that is China for you. 'Our defence will be key in that game as I believe our attack is our strong suit and will bring the points, but then we must not concede.' Dazel said the recent victories over Argentina, as recent as last month in the final Challenger Series tournament in Krakow, Poland, will also act as pointers for their final pool match. 'We played Argentina twice and beat them both times, the last time in the Krakow final, so we have our plans for that match. But first things first, and that will be Ireland.' Springbok Women's Sevens Squad 1 Leigh Fortuin 3 Patience Mokone 4 Zintle Mpupha 6 Felicia Jacobs 7 Maria Tshiremba 9 Nadine Roos 10 Mathrin Simmers (captain) 11 Zandile Masuku 14 Simamkele Namba 16 Shiniqwa Lamprecht 23 Ayanda Malinga 27 Alicia Willemse 29 Rights Mkhari SA Pool B schedule (SA times, live on SuperSport): Saturday: SA v Ireland (7.44pm); SA v China (11.07pm) Sunday: SA v Argentina (7pm)
The Star
02-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Blitzboks, SA women face tough competition at Los Angeles Sevens Championship
There will be one last shot at a piece of silverware for the Blitzboks when they start the SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles on Saturday. While a victory in Cape Town in December was the last time the Springbok Sevens lifted a trophy, they've shown glimpses throughout the season of their abilities, and will have to put everything together over the weekend if they want to win. It's the all-important trophy they want to fight for in the one-off competition, and it will be a clear indication for head coach Philip Snyman of the growth or lack thereof in the side over the last couple of months. There is no argument that they are in the so-called 'group of death', facing last season's Championship victors France, SVNS Series winners Argentina and Great Britain, who defeated the South Africans at the last tournament in Singapore. So, captain Selvyn Davids and his men will have their work cut out for them if they want to get out of the pool stages to the playoffs. According to speedster Shilton van Wyk, they are ready for that challenge. 'We know we can beat any team, and we showed that, even in our most recent outing in Singapore, where we managed a win over Argentina, the series winners, despite not playing at our best,' he said. 'That was the frustrating part when we let ourselves down in matches, but we have arrived here in Los Angeles determined to finish strong.' The Blitzboks reached a couple of targets – one was finishing in the top four during the regular season – which they achieved. Now, they want to get back on the podium with another winner's medal around their necks. For the Springbok Women's Sevens, a different target will be on their minds, but one that could bring plenty of success ahead of next season.
