Springbok Women’s Sevens coach Renfred Dazel named an experienced squad to contest the opening tournament of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series at Markötter Stadium in Stellenbosch from 20-22 April, with all but one in the 13-player squad having represented South Africa on the international stage before.
Libbie Janse van Rensburg is the only player in the squad who is yet to play in the World Series, but she has international sevens experience having played for the SA Women’s Sevens Select squad when they toured France in 2016, coincidentally with Dazel as coach in his first stint with the national side.
The Springbok Women’s flyhalf is not foreign to international action, having played in her 12th Test for South Africa at the beginning of the month against Spain in Madrid, where she scored 10 points. Janse van Rensburg is one out of a total of nine squad members who have Test match experience.
Dazel included six players from the squad that last ran out for their country at the HSBC Cape Town Sevens in December – Rights Mkhari, Kemisetso Baloyi, Marlize de Bruin, Nadine Roos, Simamkele Namba and Liske Lategan – and the coach said he is delighted with the seven new players in the group.
Sizophila Solontsi, Zintle Mpupha, Ayanda Malinga, Eloise Webb, Janse van Rensburg and Zanele Masuku all donning the green and gold for the first time under Dazel’s reign.
Mathrin Simmers – the only survivor from Dazel’s first stint as national coach in 2016, which was the last time they enjoyed World Series core status – has been named as co-captain of the side with Solontsi, both of who missed out on playing in Cape Town last December due to injury. They have been named as co-captains of the side this weekend.
“I am really happy with the squad and am going into this Challenger Series knowing that we prepared well,” said Dazel.
“The big difference between this squad and the one that played in Cape Town last December is the amount of preparation we had for this. Last time around, we had a week to prepare for the Dubai Invitational, which was followed a week later by the Cape Town tournament.
“To add to our woes then, we lost Mathrin, Sizo and Eloise due to injuries in Dubai and they could not play in Cape Town.”
Dazel said the three-month preparation for the Challenger Series was highly productive and he believes that will manifest on the field of play: “We had good preparation and the players really worked hard to put themselves in the best position possible for this series.
“The fact that we could also have access to Nadine (Roos), Libbie and Jakkie (Cilliers) to add depth to our squad is much appreciated. We had a good run and will approach this weekend’s tournament with the knowledge that we are as well prepared as we can be.”
Dazel said the experience in the squad will be important, as all teams will be under pressure in trying to qualify for the World Series.
“That is why it is important to have the likes of Sizo, Zintle, Nadine, Mathrin and Eloise back, as they have played at this level for a while now and experience and cool heads will be important in the next two weeks.”
Dazel said the new players in the squad excite him as much as the more experienced ones.
“The rewarding part of this journey is the emergence of new players in the squad,” he said.
“Marlize and Simamkele made their World Series debuts in Cape Town, Zanele Masuku and Kemi played at the Commonwealth Games last year and Ayanda Malinga showed her worth in Toulouse and in the Rugby World Cup Sevens.
“They are very capable players, and I am sure they will show this during the next two weeks of competition.”
Springbok Women’s Sevens squad (* uncapped):
1. Rights Mkhari
2. Sizophila Solontsi (co-captain)
3. Zintle Mpupha
4. Simamkele Namba
5. Liske Lategan
6. Kemisetso Baloyi
7. Mathrin Simmers (co-captain)
8. Nadine Roos
9. Eloise Webb
10. Marlize de Bruin
11. Ayanda Malinga
12. Zandile Masuku
13. Libbie Janse van Rensburg*