The Springbok Women’s Sevens squad to travel to Poland on Sunday for next weekend’s World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger tournament in Krakow, will feature two uncapped players in Patience Mokone and Vianca Boer.
Mokone, who just finished the Women’s Premier Division as the leading try scorer for the Bulls Daisies, will make a first appearance in the shortened version of the game, while Boer, who has been a squad member since the start of the current season, will earn a first cap having played for the team at the Emirates Dubai International Invitational tournament in November last year.
There is also a return to action for Kyla de Vries and Zandile Masuku following a successful recovery from injury, while the remaining eight players were all part of the squad that played in the opening two tournaments of the Series in Cape Town early last month.
Three members of that squad, Kayla Swarts, Felicia Jacobs, and Leigh Fortuin, have been ruled out due to injury, while Alicia Willemse has been called up for the Springbok Women’s tour to France and Spain in the coming weeks.
South Africa is currently second on the log, with the top four sides after the tournament at Henryk Reyman's Municipal Stadium qualifying to travel to Los Angeles, where they will compete with the bottom four teams on the current HSBC SVNS standings for core status next season.
“We are in a good position, but cannot take anything for granted,” Springbok Women’s Sevens coach Renfred Dazel said on Thursday.
“The squad is a good one. I am happy for Patience, who has shown excellent form this season, and Vianca, who gets her chance after some injury issues earlier in the year. Kyla and Zandile also played in the World Series last year, so we are well equipped to deal with three tough opponents in the pool stages.
“We are lucky to have the spine of the squad from Cape Town available again and are traveling to Poland with the knowledge that we prepared well and have a squad capable of getting the job done to qualify for Los Angeles.”
Nadine Roos, Zintle Mpupha and Ayanda Malinga will join the Springbok Women on their tour after completing their sevens duties in Poland.
Pools:
A: Belgium, Colombia, Kenya, Thailand
B: Argentina, Czechia, Poland, South Africa
SA pool fixtures (SA times):
Friday, 11 April
11h34 Poland
15h04 Czechia
18h12 Argentina
The Springbok Women’s Sevens squad:
1 Rights Mkhari
2 Zandile Masuku
3 Kemisetso Baloyi
4 Kyla de Vries
5 Zintle Mpupha
6 Shiniqwa Lamprecht
7 Mathrin Simmers (captain)
8 Vianca Boer *
9 Nadine Roos
10 Ayanda Malinga
11 Maria Tshiremba
12 Patience Mokone *
* uncapped