The way the Springbok Women’s Sevens defended and controlled the tempo of their matches was a highlight for SA coach Cecil Afrika, who also attributed their HSBC SVNS 3 success in Dubai to good team work from the players.
After an unbeaten run in pool play on Saturday, the Bok Women’s Sevens first eliminated Poland in the semi-finals on Sunday morning before fighting back to beat Argentina by 12-5 in the final.
In the process, Afrika claimed his second consecutive tournament title since taking over the coaching in October, adding the Dubai title to the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Cup they won in November in Nairobi, incidentally the team’s next stop on their 2026 journey.
“It was a great win, and the players deserve all the credit. We really defended well, but our attack also proved very effective,” said Africa.
“Overall, I think we got the balance right at this tournament. When we needed to, we defended our line very well, and when the opportunity came, we could switch to attack and score some really nice tries.
“One of the keys to a successful defensive effort is for players to work hard for each other, getting back in line, getting back off the floor to get in position and to trust the system and not try things on your own.”
Afrika said they will enjoy the win, which has seen them qualify for the HSBC SVNS 2 series, before they get back on the horse for those three tournaments, with the first being played in Nairobi on 14-15 February.
“We must also acknowledge those players who did not travel this time but are part of the squad,” he said. “They helped us with our preparation, and I am happy to say we got our tactics and game analysis right also.”