The Springbok Women’s team are up and running at the World Cup, making a striking debut with a resounding 66-6 victory against Brazil at Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton. While it’s crucial to acknowledge Brazil’s ranking—24th in the world and 12 places below the South Africans—the Bok Women showcased impressive tactical discipline that would please their coach, Swys de Bruin.
Following a rocky, flat spell in the first half, the Springboks produced a convincing performance that demonstrated their depth and skill. Despite their struggles, the Brazilians displayed remarkable resilience, tackling fiercely and refusing to concede defeat, providing South Africa with an ideal opening match experience under competitive conditions.
For De Bruin, overseeing this historic win is a relief as attention shifts swiftly to next week’s challenge: a clash with Italy, ranked seventh in the world—five spots above the Springboks. It was a notably historic event, as Brazil became the first South American nation to qualify for the Women’s World Cup, whilst the Springbok Women celebrated their first-ever victory in the tournament’s history.
From the very first scrum just two minutes into the game, it was apparent that the match would tilt firmly in South Africa’s favour. Their impressive shove at the scrum yielded a penalty, and soon after, No 8 Aseza Hele bulldozed off the back to set Nadine Roos up for the opening try. Hele subsequently scored a try of her own, pulling defenders across the line as she crossed into the end zone.
However, following a fiery start, South Africa momentarily lost their momentum. A series of clumsy handling errors—including dropped passes and misdirected throws—disrupted their rhythm. Nevertheless, Brazil’s spirited fight kept the game compelling, infusing it with intensity and determination.
After a 20-minute dry spell in scoring, Roos initiated a quick tap penalty near the line that allowed Hele to score her second try, reigniting South Africa’s dominance. The bonanza of tries continued just before half-time when slick backline handling saw Ayanda Malinga sprint down the wing for the team’s bonus-point try.
The fifth try was nothing short of spectacular. Roos initiated a break deep in enemy territory with a deft chip, which saw Zintle Mpupha catch the ball and offload it to Hele, who galloped over for a remarkable hat-trick. Once in the second half, the floodgates opened. Flyhalf Libbie Janse van Rensburg capitalised on a powerful run from centre Aphiwe Ngwevu to add to the scoreline, after which De Bruin opted to substitute players and relieve starters after the 50-minute mark.
Janse van Rensburg doubled her tally with a spectacular long-range effort, followed by Ngwevu crashing over for another try. Replacement Lerato Makua demonstrated her prowess with a clever move from a lineout, adding further to the impressive score. Malinga capped her remarkable performance with a blistering second try down the touchline, concluding the match at an emphatic 66-6.
This overwhelming victory against Brazil provides a dream start for the Springbok Women; however, they know a significantly tougher match awaits them against Italy, where the stakes will be even higher.
Scorers:
- South Africa (26) 66: Tries: Nadine Roos, Aseza Hele (3), Ayanda Malinga (2), Libbie Janse van Rensburg (2), Aphiwe Ngwevu, Lerato Makua. Conversions: Byrhandré Dolf (8).
- Brazil (3) 6: Penalties: Raquel Kochhann (2).