The Bulls Daisies will be looking for a repeat of the last two years’ Women’s Premier Division finals, where they outplayed DHL Western Province, when the two teams meet again at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria – the same venue of the last two finals – at 5:15pm on Saturday to conclude the 2025 season.
The Daisies earned hosting rights by finishing top of the log in a shortened competition where teams only played a single round, dominating proceedings by winning all seven their matches, scoring 512 points and only conceding 37 in the process.
Province on the other hand outplayed Sanlam Boland Dames last weekend to confirm second spot on the log, with the Cape side winning six out of seven this season.
The Daisies’ dominance is almost surreal. They have won 35 out of their last 36 matches and in the last three seasons, with their only defeat coming against DHL WP in a league fixture last year.
Since that defeat, they have beaten the Cape side in the 2024 final as well as earlier this year in their league fixture, by 69-0 in the second round of the competition.
There can be no doubt that the Daisies are firm favourites for this clash, but as WP showed when they outplayed Boland last weekend, their determination and the presence of some real game breakers will always make them a threat.
The visitors have been boosted by the availability of Springbok Women’s Sevens players Leigh Fortuin, Alicia Willemse and Logan Welman, and the good form of WP captain Shaunique Hess and Bok Women lock Nomsa Mokwai will make them very competitive.
But the balanced feel of the Bulls Daisies and their all-consuming playing style will be a very tough nut to crack. They have 11 Springbok Women in their starting team and four more playing off the bench, so the host team just need to maintain their composure in the high stakes final and their class should shine through.
Daisies head coach Hayden Groepes admitted as much: “We find ourselves in this finals week by no stroke of luck but pure hard work and effort which began last year September already, so this is a good reward for a group of players and management staff who have all bought into one vision and goal, and we are one hard shift away from making that a reality for all of us.”
DHL Western Province’s Stanley Raubenheimer said they realise the enormity of the task at hand: “The Bulls have been in great form, and we know it will be tough at Loftus Versfeld, but our plan for the season was to blood young players with a more long-term view, and I think we’ve succeeded in that. We’ll go out there and give everything we have and who knows, perhaps it will be third time lucky for us.”
Match information:
Bulls Daisies v DHL Western Province
Date: Saturday 29 March 2025
Venue: Loftus Versfeld
Kick-off: 5:15pm
Referee: Luvuyo Maceba
Assistant referees: Angie Bezuidenhout, Siyanda Pikoli
TV: SuperSport
Teams:
Bulls Daisies: 15. Chuma Qawe, 14. Patience Mokone, 13. Jakkie Cilliers, 12. Chumisa Qawe, 11. Shaunique Alexander, 10. Byrhandre Dolf (vice-captain), 9. Unam Tose, 8. Faith Tshauke, 7. Lerato Makua, 6. Sizophila Solontsi, 5. Anathi Qolo, 4. Ziyanda Ngohlekana, 3. Xolelwa Diliza, 2. Micke Gunter (captain), 1. Sanelisiwe Charlie. Replacements: 16. Doreen Mkhabele, 17. Yonela Ngxingolo, 18. Asithandile Ntoyanto, 19. Dineo Ndhlovu, 20. Sophy Mashapa, 21. Camelitha Malone, 22. Libbie Janse van Rensburg, 23. Maria Tshiremba.
DHL WP: 15. Donëy Filies, 14. Leigh Fortuin, Shaunique Hess (captain), 13 Shaundre Francke, 11. Voice Ndou, 10. Elme Kruger, 9. Lauren Adams, 8. Logan Welman, 7. Anelisiwe Mxabo, 6. Anushka Groenewald, 5. Nomsa Mokwai, 4. Mari Dalhouzie, 3. Azisa Mkiva, 2. Luchell Hanekom, 1. Nomkhita Chuba. Replacements: 16. Bronishia Hess, 17. Anuckha Ekron, 18. Thandile Mazwi, 19. Arzydia Komar, 20. Zindiswa Xozwa, 21. Lihle Mzimkhulu, 22. Insaaf Levy, 23. Alicia Willemse.