A full round of matches in the Pick n Pay Women's Super League 2 will kick off in Polokwane, Kimberley and Kempton Park this weekend, with defending champions, Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women, entering the Diamond City looking for a continuation of the golden run they had last year, where they claimed their first silverware at this level.
Elsewhere, the Valke Women will hope to use the altitude of the East Rand to diminish the threats posed by their visitors from the coast, the SWD Eagirls, while in Polokwane, the Limpopo Blue Bulls will host the Leopards Women, with both squads impacted by the USSA tournament happening in Gqeberha at the same time. The Griffons have a bye this weekend.
The Pick n Pay WSL 2, until last year called the Women’s First Division, will be played over a single round with semi-finals scheduled for the weekend of 22 August and the final a week later, on 29 August.
Both Limpopo and the Leopards are laden with students from the University of Limpopo and Northwest University, but as the tertiary teams are involved at the USSA tournament, they will field squads deprived of those players for round one.
The same applies to Griquas, who have a significant number of Sol Plaatjie University players unavailable for the opening round of the competition.
The Pumas showed last year that the traditional heavyweights can be tamed, but the flip side is that – as defending champions – they will have a number on their back this time around.
The team from Mpumalanga will not be impacted as much as Griquas, Limpopo Blue Bulls and Leopards, who are without their student players, and a strong performance in round one will boost their title hopes, knowing that they could get an early jump on the usual contenders.
The Pumas will – in the first match of their tenure as champions – be challenged by Avbob Griquas Women at Suzuki Stadium in Kimberley, despite their opponents having some players unavailable.
The Leopards and Limpopo will be hoping for the best possible outcome of their match in Polokwane, knowing that the return of half a dozen players in round two will be a huge positive.
The match between Valke Women and SWD Eagirls will probably be the most competitive this weekend, given the fact that they are the least impacted by student players and like Pumas, a round one victory could just get an early foot in the door, come the playoffs later in the year.
Coaching staff of the seven participating teams:
Leopards Women
Head coach: Franklin Jackson
Assistant coach: Jackie Kriel
Griffons Women
Head coach: Shamila Louw
Assistant coaches: Tertius Maarman, Norman Nelson
Limpopo Blue Bulls Women
Head coach: Vuyelwa Sethene
Assistant coaches: Artwell Makhubele, Collin Langa
Valke Women
Head coach: Stompi Catherine Lowane
Assistant coach: Collen Mabaso
Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women
Head coach: Sibusiso Ngomane
SWD Eagirls
Head coach: Elize Arendse
Assistant coach: Nicolene Barendse
Avbob Griquas Women
Head coach: Corispa Links
Match information:
Avbob Griquas Women v Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women
Venue: Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley
Date: Saturday, 4 July
Kick-off: 12h00
Referee: Guavanne Riley
Valke Women v SWD Eagirls
Venue: Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park
Date: Saturday, 4 July
Kick-off: 12h00
Referee: Mecyle Africa
Limpopo Blue Bulls Women v Leopards Women
Venue: University of Limpopo, Polokwane
Date: Saturday, 4 July
Kick-off: 13h00
Referee: Shaun Davids