Latest news with #SwysdeBruin
IOL News
2 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Physicality pays off: Springbok Women's shift in tactics delivers
Springbok Women flyhalf Libbie Janse van Rensburg takes on the Black Ferns defence. Photo: Henk Kruger Independent Media Image: Henk Kruger Independent Media Performance coach Swys de Bruin admitted that a shift in the Springbok Women's approach after half-time bore fruit as they came close to a come-from-behind win against the Black Ferns XV at Athlone Stadium on Saturday. South Africa were more direct and physical in the second half, keeping the ball tight and employing crash-ball tactics after being outplayed in the opening 40 minutes. 'We simply did not get going in the first half, but I have to give credit to the team for the way they adapted in the second half, where we created numerous chances,' De Bruin said after the 34–26 defeat to the New Zealanders, who led 20–12 at the break. 'If we did not have one of our tries disallowed at a crucial stage in the second half, who knows what could have happened at the end.' Video Player is loading. 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. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Powering up The Bok defence conceded four tries in the first half and only two in the second, with the South Africans gaining momentum through a more confrontational approach and the impact of a strong bench. 'We made a call at half-time to change our approach and play more direct, and that worked for us tonight,' said De Bruin. 'It was a night where we needed physicality and the shortest route forward, and we almost managed to turn the result around, something that I am very pleased about. It is all part of the learning curve as we head to the Rugby World Cup next month. 'We had some combinations that worked earlier in the season, like in the match against Spain where we scored several backline tries. But tonight we needed physical ball-carriers, and those combinations were better suited against a very skilful Black Ferns XV.' Swys de Bruin: 'We made a call at half-time to change our approach and play more direct, and that worked for us' - more here: 🗣#BokWomen #MakeItCount — SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) July 26, 2025 Leading from the front One of those who embraced the change in tactics was captain and No 8 Babalwa Latsha, who scored one of the Bok Women's four tries. She said the players were comfortable with a more forward-driven strategy. 'We don't mind that at all – we are good in close-range rugby where we can use our physicality,' said Latsha. 'But the Black Ferns deserve credit as they showed good skills on a windy afternoon, and they really used their scoring opportunities well. Not so much for us – we created a lot of chances but didn't take them all, and that will again be a work-on for us this week.' It remains to be seen whether the Springboks will stick with the direct strategy when the sides meet again at the same venue next weekend – their final official outing before the World Cup. 'We wanted these games to see what we need to do better or where we are doing well, so next weekend will be that final test for the team and the combinations,' said De Bruin. 'I am very proud of our effort in that second half and the clarity that gave the coaching staff.'
IOL News
13-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
De Bruin praises experimental Bok Women's half-back pairing of Roos and Webb
Springbok Women's Sevens star Eloise Webb got her first start at flyhalf for the Springbok Women against Canada on Saturday. Springbok Women's performance coach Swys de Bruin is happy with the early signs from his experimental half-back pairing of Nadine Roos and Eloise Webb. Roos started at scrumhalf after she had started at fullback in the first Test at Loftus, with regular centre Webb coming off the bench to start at flyhalf in Saturday's second Test against Canada in Gqeberha. The move was part of a backline reshuffle that had also seen Byrhandré Dolf start at fullback. Libbie Janse van Rensburg, who started at flyhalf in Pretoria, slotted in at inside centre. The South Africans succumbed 33-5 to the world's No 2 team in the second Test at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium after losing the first 50-20. 'For the amount of pressure, it was a tough ask of Eloise to play her first game ever at 10. Apart from two little mistakes she recovered lovely. And Nadine plays great wherever she plays,' De Bruin said in his post-match media conference. 'I thought all our steppers, the faster girls, did well. Dolfy was superb, Jakkie (Cilliers) had a few good runs, Zintle (Mpupha) also had good runs. So the score mustn't now confuse what we're doing.'
IOL News
13-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Springbok Women's coach reflects on missed opportunities in defeat to Canada
Springbok Women's performance coach Swys de Bruin feels had they converted the breaks they created in the defeat against Canada, it could have been a different story. The South Africans were left to rue missed opportunities as they succumbed 33-5 to the world's No 2 team in the second Test at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday afternoon. But with 15 minutes to go in the match, De Bruin felt the Springbok Women were still in the contest. 'At 19-5 and we get three line breaks, scoring chances, with 15 minutes to go I thought, 'okay, they're number two and we're number 12, we've closed the gap',' he said at the post-match media conference. 'I mustn't let the fact that they scored those two tries at the and pull the wool over my eyes. We had so many line breaks against a top side like that. 'And then we almost get the jitters when someone runs through, we're not used to it. Because Jakkie (Cilliers) went weak, Libbie (Janse van Rensburg) is through and just lost the ball, Zintle (Mpupha) is through and just drops the ball, where they finished. "That was the difference. Every one of their points came from great finishing and we got the line breaks but we didn't finish. I felt if we could finish, it would have been a totally different story.' The Springbok Women did well to recover from an error-strewn first Test at Loftus in Pretoria last weekend against one of the favourites for next month's World Cup. De Bruin said the growth the team has shown over the past two weeks against the second-ranked team in the world was commendable and made him a proud coach. 'I will be the first one to admit that we are far from the finished product, but the improvement was real and we were in this match for a long time,' he said. 'We only scored once, but had so many other opportunities and that was very pleasing. Those are all fixable errors. "We needed these two Test matches to see where we are, and I am very happy with the report card thus far.'
IOL News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Springbok Women experiment with Nadine Roos at scrumhalf for second Canada Test
Springbok Women back Nadine Roos will play at scrumhalf in the second Test against Canada Springboks Women Performance coach Swys de Bruin has moved Byrhandré Dolf and Eloise Webb from the bench into the starting line-up for the second Test against Canada on Saturday in Gqeberha. The Bok Women are hoping to redeem themselves after a 50-20 thumping last week in Pretoria at the hands of the Canadians in what served as the curtain-raiser for the Springboks Men's Test against Italy. Dolf will be playing at fullback and Webb will assume the flyhalf role for the second Test, which kicks off at 1.30pm at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. It will be the first time both players will play in those positions. In a surprise move, Nadine Roos has also shuffled around and will play at scrumhalf instead of fullback. Libbie Janse van Rensburg will play inside centre after starting at flyhalf in Pretoria. Upfront, Catha Jacobs will pack down on the side of the scrum, while the front five remain unchanged for the second test.
Daily Maverick
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Springbok Women's matches against Canada provide a litmus test of team's growth
The Bok Women will be looking for an improved showing against Canada as they build towards next month's Rugby World Cup. The Springbok Women have been on a steep upward trajectory across the last year but received a reality check against Canada at Loftus Versfeld last weekend, suffering a 50-20 loss. They face the same opponents in Gqeberha on Saturday, 12 July. The Bok Women have grown significantly since experienced coach Swys de Bruin and former Junior Springbok coach Bafana Nhleko have been at the mantle since August last year. The coaching changes were put in place with the goal of the team reaching new heights at the Rugby World Cup 2025, which gets underway next month in England. So far, everything has run smoothly. But for the first time in 11 months, the team have faced their biggest hurdle and suffered their biggest defeat in that time against second-ranked Canada. Outplayed The Springbok Women were completely outplayed at Loftus, with Canada creating linebreaks seemingly at will. The first half was particularly poor from the national women's side, as they were lucky to go into the break only 26-3 down. The breakdown was a mess as well, with the Bok Women at sea, conceding penalty after penalty in the first 40 minutes. 'We gave away four soft tries and that was 28 points gone,' De Bruin said after the match. 'Against a team like Canada, who is really skilful and have a good style of rugby, that is never going to give you the result you want. 'Also, six of the first seven penalties against us were for breakdown infringements, and that is something we will have to look at this coming week.' They came out with a renewed intensity in the second stanza and scored 17 points, although the defence still had gapping holes, conceding 24 points. Still improving Since De Bruin took the reins, the Bok Women were within a bounce of a ball away from beating Australia and Italy, two teams also much higher on the rankings than the Boks, in sixth and eighth respectively. South Africa (SA) is languishing in 12th place. While SA wasn't able to replicate the form they have displayed recently, which include a 48-26 over Spain earlier this year, De Bruin remains pleased about the progress his side has made. 'Last time we played Canada, they won 66-7 and [we] showed that we are closing the gap,' he said. 'The improvement is real and the whole purpose of this match was to show us where our weaknesses are, and we are doing well. 'The same will apply next weekend [against Canada] and when we play the Black Ferns XV in a couple of weeks' time. If we learn from the lessons and eliminate them, we will keep improving as we get closer to the Rugby World Cup.' The positive for the Springbok Women is that their scrum remains one of the most powerful in the game as they dismantled the Canadian pack nearly every time of asking. De Bruin also opted to move dynamic playmaker Nadine Roos to scrumhalf around the 60-minute mark. It allowed SA's most skillful ball player regular access to the pill. Roos has been shifted around the backline spine under De Bruin. He played Roos at flyhalf across the WXV2 last year, before shifting her back to the 15 jumper against Canada and then moving her to scrumhalf. 'I am happy to play wherever the coach wants me to play and it went well when I moved from fullback to scrumhalf in the second half,' Roos said. 'I just want to be around the ball and where the action is, and I'm happy that I got that chance.' Rugby World Cup Every dart being thrown at the board by De Bruin is to see what sticks and what can be implemented at the World Cup in England next month. There the team has a chance to reach the knockout stage of the tournament for the first time. SA has Brazil, Italy and France in their group. They are expected to beat 28th-ranked Brazil, but then should not be reliant on the bounce of the ball to defeat Italy. Their final group game against fourth-ranked France will not have any consequence if they do achieve that. If not, they will need to beat France. The team's next showing against Canada will provide a solid indication of how close the Springbok Women are to defeating the upper echelon of teams. DM
