The Springbok Women’s Sevens squad received a timely boost for their final, but most important tournament of the season, the HSBC SVNS Play-off in Los Angeles at Dignity Health Sports Park, with the inclusion of dual Springbok Simamkele Namba.
Namba was a regular starter for the team during last season’s HSBC SVNS, but a serious knee injury sustained in Singapore ruled her out of rugby for almost a year.
Springbok Women’s Sevens head coach Renfred Dazel said the return of Namba, who also played for the Springbok Women at the previous Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, comes at just the right time for the team.
“We do have some momentum after our win in Krakow earlier in the month, but this tournament is obviously a different kettle of fish, where the pressure to succeed will be massive,” said Dazel.
“Namba thrives in these situations and is such a great player to have around. She provides that spark that every team need and I am just happy to have her back.”
Leigh Fortuin, Felicia Jacobs and Alicia Willemse are also back in the squad after missing out in Krakow. Willemse made her test debut for the Springbok Women in Spain at the time and Fortuin and Jacobs recovered from injury.
Kemisetso Baloyi, who picked up an injury in Krakow, has not recovered in time for the trip to the USA, but Nadine Roos, Zintle Mpupha and Ayanda Malinga are back after joining the Bok Women on their recent tour of Spain.
Dazel said the experience of the play-off tournament gained in Madrid last year will help, although the format is a bit different this time around. In 2024, South Africa had core status but lost out to China for this season’s HSBC SVNS.
“This time, the cross over matches are a bit different as the second and third placed teams also get another opportunity, which will help us, although we are determined to top our pool to get into the semifinals,” said Dazel.
Despite missing out on the intensity of regular tournament play, Dazel feels the momentum gained from the three World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger tournaments will stand them in good stead when they face Ireland and China for the first time this season, before a rematch against Argentina, the team they outplayed to win the Challenger title in Krakow.
“We started off with a third place in Cape Town where we just did not execute in our semifinal against Kenya, followed that up by committing nine handling errors in our final of the second tournament against Kenya, and then finally getting it right in Krakow, beating Argentina and Kenya along the way,” Dazel said.
“The players have learned and improved in every outing, and we can go to Los Angeles knowing that we have a realistic opportunity to do well. There is good energy and the return of Namba, Willemse, Jacobs and Fortuin comes at just the right time.”
POOL B SCHEDULE (SA TIMES, ALL MATCHES LIVE ON SUPERSPORT):
SATURDAY, 3 MAY
7:44pm: Ireland
11:07pm: China
SUNDAY 4 MAY
7pm: Argentina
SPRINGBOK WOMEN'S SEVENS (WITH 2025 CHALLENGER SERIES STATS):
#1 Leigh Fortuin – 2 tournaments, 0 points
#3 Patience Mokone – 1 tournament, 5 points (1 try)
#4 Zintle Mpupha – 3 tournaments, 30 points (6 tries)
#6 Felicia Jacobs – 2 tournaments, 10 points (2 tries)
#7 Maria Tshiremba – 3 tournaments, 55 points (11 tries)
#9 Nadine Roos – 3 tournaments, 154 points (18 tries, 32 conversions)
#10 Mathrin Simmers (captain) – 3 tournaments, 5 points (1 try)
#11 Zandile Masuku – 1 tournament, 0 points
#14 Simamkele Namba – 0 tournaments
#16 Shiniqwa Lamprecht – 3 tournaments, 15 points (3 tries)
#23 Ayanda Malinga – 3 tournaments, 50 points (10 tries)
#27 Alicia Willemse – 2 tournaments, 2 points (1 conversion)
#29 Rights Mkhari – 3 tournaments, 10 points (2 tries)