Daisies travel down to the coast for more points

The Bulls Daisies will be without the services of eight of their squad members who are on national duty as head coach, Hayden Groepes tweaks his side for round four of the 2024 Women’s Premier Division. The Tshwane outfit travels to the coast seeking more points when they clash against the Sharks at the Hollywoodbets Kings Park.

The defending champions will be without Springboks’ Sanelisiwe Charlie, Anathi Qolo, Lusanda Dumke, Jackie Cilliers, Byrhandre Dolf, Vainah Ubisi, Rumandi Potgieter, and Sizophila Solontsi. They are all away on national duty, which will see them unavailable over the next four weeks and that has necessitated some positional and personnel changes to Groepe’s side.

Ivanche Gerritsen, Oratile Mabuza, Lesego Mdhluli, Klarissa van der Linden, Relebohile Motaung, Pearl Mhelembe, and Hermoine Makgoke all come into the matchday fold. They are all lined up on the impact squad alongside Asithandile Ntoyanto and Xolelwa Diliza, who swap positions with Mkhabela and Lebotsa.

The starting XV sees Doreen Mkhabela (loose head), Karabo Lebotsa (hooker) and Rachelle du Plessis (tight head) combine at front row. Behind them will be the lock combination of Ziyanda Ngohlekana and Busisiwe Crafford with Glenda Baloi (blind side) and Faith Tshauke (open side) in the third row. Sophy Mashapa captains the side from eight, thus completing the forwards pack.

Mahlatse Lucky Nkhumishe (scrum-half) and Unam Tose (fly half) combine at half-back. Chantel Dikgale runs at left wing while Patience Mokone retains the right wing spot from last week. Naima Hlatshwayo who had an impressive debut against the EP Queens starts at inside centre, alongside Unathi Mali who pivots from wing seven days ago to outside centre in Durban. Zintle Nonkosana moves from centre to fullback where she will provide cover for her teammates.

The last time the Daisies ventured down to the coast, they returned home with a full house of points before hammering their guests to a 107 drubbing for the season double but Gropes warns that may not be the case this season.

“We have to be on top of our game because they will come at us. We cannot run out thinking last season’s results will be the same again but we have to use that as the base of what we can do as a team. I am sure that they would also have an added boost in the fact that they want to settle scores and prove that they are equally competitive in this tournament,” she said.

“For us it is simple, we are travelling down looking for more points and that means this is going to be a classic meeting between two good teams.”

On the headache of balancing his side with the international calendar, the Daisies mentor said, “The international calendar presents its own dynamics which we must adapt to as we continue with our schedule. It is a nice challenge in the sense that it is recognition and growth for those who receive the call-up and another opportunity for us to test our depth and recognise the incoming who have been working hard at training since pre-season.

“Match minutes create champions because you then have a wide pool of talent which have adequate time on the field and that will only make our team stronger and better off. This is a wonderful place for us to be and I know the ladies are ready to step up as needed.”

BULLS DAISIES v SHARKS STARTING XV: 1. Doreen Mkhabela, 2. Karabo Lebotsa, 3. Rachelle du Plessis, 4. Ziyanda Ngohlekana, 5. Busisiwe Crafford, 6. Glenda Baloi, 7. Faith Tshauke, 8. Sophy Mashapa (c), 9. Mahlatse Lucky Nkhumishe, 10. Unam Tose, 11. Chantel Dikgale, 12. Naima Hlatshwayo, 13. Unathi Mali, 14. Patience Mokone, 15. Zintle Nonkosana

BULLS DAISIES IMPACT SQUAD: 16. Hermoine Makgoke, 17. Asithandile Ntoyanto, 18. Xolelwa Diliza, 19. Ivanche Gerritsen, 20. Oratile Mabuza, 21. Lesego Mdhluli, 22. Klarissa van der Linden, 23. Relebohile Motaung, 24. Pearl Mhelembe