The 2025 season has been a bit of a blur for Alicia Willemse thus far, but on Saturday in Los Angeles at the HSBC SVNS Play-off, the 27-year-old playmaker will strive to be at her brightest and clearest of minds.
Donning the Springbok Women's Sevens jumper this time around, Willemse will be expected to combat and outplay Ireland and China alongside her teammates, barely two weeks after a memorable day in Alicante, Spain.
Then, Willemse came off the bench as replacement scrum-half to earn a first Test cap for the Springbok Women in a once-off international against Spain, barely five weeks after making her debut in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger Series at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.
“It is really exciting times,” Willemse said shortly after the team arrived on the west coast of the USA for the final sevens tournament of the 2025 season, and for the Springbok Women's Sevens, a most important one.
The play-off tournament, where they will also face Argentina in their final pool match on Sunday, will determine the South Africans’ fate for the next season of HSBC SVNS and, in a way, the career choices the DHL Western Province player will have to make.
Upon returning from Los Angeles, Willemse will be back in the Springbok Women's training squad, aiming to make it to the Rugby World Cup, to be played in England in August and September.
“I have worked hard towards that goal, and getting my first cap for the fifteens side was something I had on my radar,” said Willemse, who missed out on Test match selection last year, despite touring to Europe where the Bok Women played against Spain and the USA.
“Come to think of it, the sevens call-up was probably a bigger feat, as I never really expected it, nor focused so much on that code.
“I enjoy playing sevens, and I still do. As a smaller player, I enjoy the freedom of space a bit more, so I can’t wait to go out and play with a bunch of very talented teammates. I am grateful and privileged to have played for both national teams for the first time in such a short space of time.”
Willemse said the desire to do justice in the green and gold drives both teams: “Whether fifteens or sevens, both teams are desperate to do the jersey justice and make the country proud. I have not walked the seven's journey that long, but can tell you that this team is very, very determined to regain that top 12 spot on the world circuit.”
The Springbok Women's Sevens team will have some comforts in Los Angeles, with the memory of their best finish of the 2024 HSBC SVNS at this very venue. The team finished sixth overall and moved to 10th on the tournament log after two good wins over Brazil and Fiji.
“That performance showed that we can compete against the best, but more encouraging would be the recent performances in Krakow, where the team won the final Challenger tournament. The momentum gained will work well for us this weekend,” added Willemse.
