The Springbok Women opened their 2024 WXV 2 campaign with a 31-24 win against Japan at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
The two evenly matched teams traded blows for the full eighty minutes of play with the lead changing hands continuously.
The Springbok women were lucky to go into the second half with a 17-12 lead with the number of mistakes made by the Springboks assisting Japan in dominating territory and possession in the first half. Despite the Japanese dominating the second half to, the Springboks held on to secure an important win.
Japan had a confident start and scored the first try from the back of a five-meter lineout-maul after ten minutes of domination to lead 07-00. The Springboks responded two minutes later when Aseza Hele picked up the ball behind a ruck and forced her way over Japan's tryline to cut Japan's lead to 07-05.
Japan kept the pressure on the Springboks' defence and flyhalf Ayasa Otsuka controlled a clever grubber by Haruka Hirotsu to score Japan's second try. Minutes later Chumisa Qawe bulldozed her way over Japan's tryline to cut Japan's lead to 12-10 after twenty-four minutes of play in the first half.
The Springboks got their hands on quality attacking balls and following a fifteen-meter rumbling mail prop Sanelisiwe Charlie broke away to score a brilliant third try for the Springboks to take a 17-12 lead going into the second half.
The Springboks had a brilliant start to the second half when winger Ayanda Malinga beat several defenders out wide with her speed to extend the Springboks lead to 24-12.
Japan struck back almost immediately when number eight Seina Saitio scored two tries off the back of lineout mauls to level the scores 24-24 after thirteen minutes of play.
The Springboks rumbled from a five-meter lineout and Vainah Ubisi scored from the back of the maul to retake a 31-24 lead for the Springboks.
Following a disallowed try with ten minutes to play Japan set up camp in the half of the Springboks and brilliant defence by the Springboks kept Japan from scoring any points, securing a 31-24 win for the Springboks.
South Africa became the higher-ranked of the two teams after beating Japan, equalling their all-time high of 11th which they last occupied in October 2022.
Scorers:
Springbok Women: Tries: Aseza Hele, Chumisa Qawe, Sanelisiwe Charlie, Ayanda Malinga, Vainah Ubisi. Conversions: Jakkie Cilliers (3).
Japan: Tries: Kotomi Taniguchi, Ayasa Otsuka, Seina Saitio (2). Conversion: Ayasa Otsuka, Misaki Matsumura.
Teams:
Springbok Women: 15 Libbie Janse van Rensburg, 14 Jakkie Cilliers, 13 Eloise Webb, 12 Chumisa Qawe, 11 Ayanda Malinga, 10 Nadine Roos, 9 Tayla Kinsey, 8 Aseza Hele, 7 Sinazo Mcatshulwa, 6 Sizophila Solontsi, 5 Vainah Ubisi, 4 Nolusindiso Booi (c), 3 Babalwa Latsha, 2 Roseline Botes, 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie. Replacements: 16 Micke Gunter, 17 Yonela Ngxingolo, 18 Azisa Mkiva, 19 Danelle Lochner, 20 Catha Jacobs, 21 Anathi Qolo, 22 Unam Tose, 23 Zintle Mpupha.
Japan Women: 15 Sora Nishimura, 14 Misaki Matsumura, 13 Mana Furuta, 12 Haruka Hirotsu, 11 Komachi Imakugi, 10 Ayasa Otsuka, 9 Moe Tsukui, 8 Seina Saitio, 7 Iroha Nagata (c), 6 Masami Kawamura, 5 Otoka Yoshimura, 4 Yuna Sato, 3 Wako Kitano, 2 Kotomi Taniguchi, 1 Sachiko Kato. Replacements: 16 Asuka Kuge, 17 Manami Mine, 18 Nijiho Nagata, 19 Kyoko Hosokawa, 20 Jennifer Nduka, 21 Megumi Abe, 22 Rinka Matsuda, 23 Kanako Kobayashi.