# South Africa women's national rugby union team

The South Africa women's national rugby union team represents South Africa in women's international rugby union and is governed by the South African Rugby Union. They have appeared in four World Cups since their debut in the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup.

## History

The Springbok Women played their first Test in 2004. They have won the Rugby Africa Women's Cup twice — in 2019 and 2022. South Africa climbed to eleventh place on the World Rugby ranking in September 2022 with wins over Japan and Spain.

## Players
### Recent squad

On 22 September, South Africa announced their 30-member squad to WXV2.
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
| Lindelwa Gwala | Hooker | (1997-08-24)24 August 1997 (aged 27) | 33 | Ealing Trailfinders Women |
| Roseline Botes | Hooker | (1999-11-25)25 November 1999 (aged 24) | 20 | DHL Western Province |
| Micke Gunter | Hooker | (1998-10-25)25 October 1998 (aged 25) | 8 | Bulls Daisies |
| Azisa Mkiva | Prop | (1999-02-09)9 February 1999 (aged 25) | 10 | DHL Western Province |
| Babalwa Latsha | Prop | (1994-03-31)31 March 1994 (aged 30) | 30 | Harlequins Women |
| Sanelisiwe Charlie | Prop | (2000-05-01)1 May 2000 (aged 24) | 19 | Bulls Daisies |
| Yonela Ngxingolo | Prop | (1998-03-03)3 March 1998 (aged 26) | 29 | Bulls Daisies |
| Danelle Lochner | Second row | (1997-05-16)16 May 1997 (aged 27) | 13 | Harlequins Women |
| Vainah Ubisi | Second row | (2003-03-20)20 March 2003 (aged 21) | 15 | Bulls Daisies |
| Nolusindiso Booi (c) | Second row | (1985-06-29)29 June 1985 (aged 39) | 46 | DHL Western Province |
| Aseza Hele | Back row | (1994-11-26)26 November 1994 (aged 29) | 22 | Boland Dames |
| Sinazo Mcatshulwa | Back row | (1996-12-24)24 December 1996 (aged 27) | 32 | DHL Western Province |
| Sizophila Solontsi | Back row | (1992-03-09)9 March 1992 (aged 32) | 22 | Bulls Daisies |
| Lusanda Dumke | Back row | (1996-09-11)11 September 1996 (aged 28) | 30 | Bulls Daisies |
| Anathi Qolo | Back row | (1998-02-21)21 February 1998 (aged 26) | 4 | Bulls Daisies |
| Catha Jacobs | Back row | (1998-02-06)6 February 1998 (aged 26) | 16 | Leicester Tigers Women |
| Tayla Kinsey | Scrum-half | (1993-09-05)5 September 1993 (aged 31) | 36 | Sharks Women |
| Felicia Jacobs | Scrum-half | (1998-04-07)7 April 1998 (aged 26) | 6 | Boland Dames |
| Unam Tose | Scrum-half | (2000-05-03)3 May 2000 (aged 24) | 20 | Bulls Daisies |
| Libbie Janse van Rensburg | Fly-half | (1994-09-28)28 September 1994 (aged 29) | 23 | Bulls Daisies |
| Byrhandre Dolf | Fly-half | (2003-07-04)4 July 2003 (aged 21) | 14 | Bulls Daisies |
| Chumisa Qawe | Centre | (1999-11-15)15 November 1999 (aged 24) | 16 | Bulls Daisies |
| Eloise Webb | Centre | (1996-03-05)5 March 1996 (aged 28) | 11 | Border Ladies |
| Aphiwe Ngwevu | Centre | (1998-05-14)14 May 1998 (aged 26) | 23 | Border Ladies |
| Zintle Mpupha | Centre | (1993-12-25)25 December 1993 (aged 30) | 21 | Bulls Daisies |
| Jakkie Cilliers | Wing | (2000-10-30)30 October 2000 (aged 23) | 14 | Bulls Daisies |
| Ayanda Malinga | Wing | (1998-06-23)23 June 1998 (aged 26) | 8 | Bulls Daisies |
| Maria Tshiremba | Wing | (1995-12-29)29 December 1995 (aged 28) | 0 | Bulls Daisies |
| Maceala Samboya | Wing | | 4 | Boland Dames |
| Nadine Roos | Fullback | (1996-05-09)9 May 1996 (aged 28) | 12 | South Africa 7s |

## Crew

| Head coach | Swys de Bruin |
| Assistant coaches | Lungisa Kama, Eddie Myners |
| World Rugby Intern coach | Laurian Johannes-Haupt |
| Team manager | Nomsebenzi Tsotsobe |
| Team doctor | Dr Moshe Magethi |
| Physiotherapists | Reagan Cele, Lezane Ward |
| Conditioning coach | Naasier Parker |
| Performance coach | Dr Bianca Joseph |
| Dietitian | Robyn Moore |
| Analyst | Gillian Bourke |
| High performance manager | Lynne Cantwell |
| Media manager | J.J. Harmse |

## Results

For the full list of all Springbok Women matches:

### World Ranking

Rugby World Ranking per year end
World Ranking :
| Year | Ranking | Points | Matches | Won | Lost | Draw | ΣMatches | ΣWon | ΣLost | ΣDraw |
| 2004 | 26 | 46 | 2 | - | 2 | - | 2 | - | 2 | - |
| 2005 | 24 | 48 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 4 | 1 | 3 | - |
| 2006 | 21 | 53.99 | 7 | 2 | 5 | - | 11 | 3 | 8 | - |
| 2007 | 21 | 53.99 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 3 | 8 | - |
| 2008 | 21 | 53.99 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 3 | 8 | - |
| 2009 | 20 | 54.99 | 4 | - | 3 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 11 | 1 |
| 2010 | 11 | 69.06 | 9 | 6 | 3 | - | 24 | 9 | 14 | 1 |
| 2011 | 10 | 70.72 | 4 | 1 | 3 | - | 28 | 10 | 17 | 1 |
| 2012 | 11 | 70.72 | - | - | - | - | 28 | 10 | 17 | 1 |
| 2013 | 11 | 70.72 | 5 | 1 | 4 | - | 33 | 11 | 21 | 1 |
| 2014 | 12 | 68.51 | 6 | 1 | 5 | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
| 2015 | 12 | 68.51 | - | - | - | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
| 2016 | 12 | 68.51 | - | - | - | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
| 2017 | 13 | 68.51 | - | - | - | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
| 2018 | 12 | 67.98 | 3 | - | 3 | - | 42 | 12 | 29 | 1 |
| 2019 | 14 | 63.39 | 6 | 3 | 3 | - | 48 | 15 | 32 | 1 |
| 2020 | 13 | 63.39 | - | - | - | - | 48 | 15 | 32 | 1 |
| 2021 | 13 | 63.39 | 4 | 2 | 2 | - | 52 | 17 | 34 | 1 |
| 2022 | 13 | 64.50 | - | - | - | - | 52 | 17 | 34 | 1 |
| Total | - | - | 52 | 17 | 34 | 1 | | 33% | 67% | 0% |

### World Cup results

Rugby World Cup :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | PF | PA |
| South Africa was not invited to any of the World Cups between 1991 and 2002 |||||||||
| 2006 | Ninth play-off | 12th | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 30 | 258 |
| 2010 | Ninth play-off | 10th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 60 | 166 |
| 2014 | Plate semi-final | 10th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 34 | 176 |
| 2017 | Did Not Enter | Did Not Enter | Did Not Enter | Did Not Enter | Did Not Enter | Did Not Enter | Did Not Enter | Did Not Enter |
| 2021 | Pool Stage | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 136 |
| 2025 | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified |
| 2029 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2033 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Total | 4/9 | 10th$^†$ | 18 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 146 | 736 |
| Champion Runner-up Third place Fourth place * Tied placing $^†$ Best placing Home venue |||||||||

### Results summary

Full Internationals per country (Last updated 14 May 2024) :
| Opponent | First game | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Percentage |
| Australia | 2006 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| Cameroon | 2023 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Canada | 2009 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| England | 2005 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| Fiji | 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| France | 2009 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0% |
| Ireland | 2006 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Italy | 2018 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| Japan | 2022 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
| Kazakhstan | 2006 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75% |
| Kenya | 2019 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Madagascar | 2019 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Namibia | 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Netherlands | 2006 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| New Zealand | 2010 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Samoa | 2006 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 66.67% |
| Scotland | 2010 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 40% |
| Spain | 2014 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 57.14% |
| Uganda | 2013 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| United States | 2009 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 16.67% |
| Wales | 2004 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 25% |
| Zimbabwe | 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Summary | 2004 | 73 | 30 | 1 | 41 | 41.10% |