They were caught napping at times and were outplayed at others, but the Springbok Women resumed their training on Monday with renewed energy as they prepare to take on New Zealand’s Black Ferns XV for a second time this weekend.
The visitors had an eight-point margin when the final whistle went at Athlone Stadium last Saturday, but Nadine Roos said the South Africans learned a lot and are looking for a strong rebound this weekend.
“We are keen to get back on the field against them and to have another go,” said the utility back.
“They outplayed us in certain areas of the game and we did so to them in others, especially among the forwards, so it will be an interesting tussle come Saturday, as we now know a bit more about each other.”
Roos said that although the review from the first match showed some negative pictures, it also reminded the team of how many scoring opportunities they wasted, especially in the second half, when they rallied strongly.
“That was actually a good thing to see that we created so many chances, but sadly our finishing let us down on the day,” she said.
“They were clever in their attack and they did not allow our backs to get into any rhythm with their good rush defence, but once we opted for the more direct route, they tired and we got back into the game.”
LOOKING FOR BIG IMPROVEMENTS
For the versatile player, the number on her back matters little, as long as she can contribute to the team effort. Whether at scrumhalf, flyhalf, or fullback, she hopes the crowd at Athlone will see more of the Bok Women backline on the attack.
“We are looking for a big improvement on attack from the backs,” she said. “Our pack did wonders last weekend by giving us the necessary punch and we could claw back in the game, but for this weekend, I am hoping that our backline can also make telling contributions.”
Roos said they expected the skill level of the Black Ferns XV to be at a very high level: “They did manage to get around us by using those skills, but once we started to get possession, we did much better. We will have to kill their backline’s space and time on Saturday if we want to keep them under pressure.”
The match-23 for the second fixture will be announced on Thursday, with Nolusindiso Booi and Sizophila Solontsi still not considered for selection. Golden Lions prop Xoliswa Khuszwayo has meanwhile joined her teammates with whom she last played at the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in June.