Anathi Qolo will lead the Springbok Women to Madagascar, where they will defend their Rugby Africa Women’s Cup title next month against Uganda, Kenya and Madagascar.
The three tests will all be played at Stade Makis in Antananarivo, on 7, 11 and 15 June respectively.
Qolo, a product of the Border Youth Training Centre, played in the FNB U16 and U18 Girls Weeks before making her senior debut for the Border Ladies in 2018, but she moved to Pretoria in 2019, where she has played 54 times for the Bulls Daisies.
The 27-year-old lock, who was born in Queenstown and educated at Sandisiwe High School in Mdantsane, made her test debut against Spain in Valladolid last year and has amassed six test caps so far, including appearances at the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and WXV 2 in 2024, and last month against Spain in Alicante.
Qolo, who will become South Africa’s 11th test captain since 2004, when the Bok Women played their first test, will spearhead a squad of 28 players that includes 12 uncapped players, all of whom have represented South Africa at international level, highlighting the healthy pathway developed in the national women’s game in recent years.
Insaaf Levy, who plays scrumhalf for DHL Western Province and studies medicine at the University of Cape Town, has played touch rugby for South Africa, but is the only uncapped player in the squad who is not a product of either the Youth Training Centres, FNB Girls Weeks, the Junior Springbok Women or the Springbok Women’s Sevens team.
Among the backs, Patience Mokone and Leigh Fortuin represented the Springbok Women’s Sevens in Los Angeles earlier this month, while forwards Bronishia Hess, Dineo Ndhlovu, Sinothile Bengu, Anuchka Ekron and Anushka Groenewald played for the Junior Springbok Women last year, with Fortuin captaining the squad.
The squad, to be guided by Springbok Women assistant coaches Bafana Nhleko and Franzel September, have an experienced core of players who travelled to Madagascar in the 2023 and 2024 versions of the African showpiece, with no less than 13 players who have donned the green and gold at Stade Makis before.
Among them are Chuma Qawe, Nomawethu Mabenge, Aphiwe Ngwevu, Simamkele Namba, Unam Tose and Roseline Botes, who also played in the 2022 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Springbok Women performance coach Swys de Bruin said the squad is a reflection of the emerging talent within the women’s game, as well as a solid core of senior players, with many still in the hunt for a Rugby World Cup spot later in the season.
“We see this continental tournament in a very positive light, hence our decision to expand our playing experience and player base by selecting some of the best young talent in the country but also provide a backbone of experienced players who are still in Rugby World Cup contention,” said De Bruin.
“The tournament is a testing one, with short turnarounds against physical teams, but this is an ideal way to make sure we have a fit and able second line of selection options as well as giving some senior players valuable game time.”
While the team will be in Madagascar, De Bruin and Laurian Johannes-Haupt will look after 20 players at a position specifics camp in Stellenbosch, with the focus on the tests against Canada and the international friendlies against the Black Ferns XV.
“All of this is part of the wider Rugby World Cup preparations and decided upon by the management in our early planning stages,” said De Bruin. “Our progress on that is good and I think we are onto something special.”
On Qolo’s selection as captain, De Bruin said: “Anathi has been a wonderful asset to our team since she joined last year and one of the natural leaders in the group. Her rugby intelligence and willingness to work for the team and her obvious ability as an outstanding lineout jumper are additions to her natural leadership qualities.”
The team will assemble in Johannesburg on 28 May before heading east to Madagascar.
RUGBY AFRICA WOMEN'S CUP FIXTURES (SA times, all matches at Stade Makis, Antananarivo):
7 June: Uganda (12pm)
11 June: Kenya (12pm)
15 June: Madagascar (2pm)
SPRINGBOK WOMEN RUGBY AFRICA WOMEN’S CUP 2025 SQUAD:
Props:
Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Golden Lions) - 5 caps, 0 points
Sinothile Bhengu (Sharks Women) - uncapped
Amanda Ndlovu (Sharks Women) - uncapped
Anuchka Ekron (DHL Western Province) uncapped
Nombuyekezo Mdliki (Border Ladies) – 1 cap, 0 points
Hookers:
Luchell Hanekom (DHL Western Province) - 4 caps, 0 points
Roseline Botes (DHL Western Province) – 21 caps, 45 points (9 tries)
Anushka Groenewald (DHL Western Province) - uncapped
Locks:
Anathi Qolo – captain (Bulls Daisies) - 6 caps, 0 points
Nomsa Mokwai (DHL Western Province) - 4 caps, 0 points
Dineo Ndlhovu (Bulls Daisies) - uncapped
Loose forwards:
Nompumelelo Mathe (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 20 caps; 25 points (5 tries)
Nobuhle Mjwara (Sharks Women) - uncapped
Bronishia Hess (DHL Western Province) - uncapped
Faith Tshauke (Bulls Daisies) - uncapped
Lerato Makua (Bulls Daisies) - 10 caps, 0 points
Scrumhalves:
Unam Tose (Bulls Daisies)- 23 caps, 5 points (1 try)
Felicia Jacobs (Sanlam Boland Dames) - 7 caps, 15 points (3 tries)
Insaaf Levy (DHL Western Province) – uncapped
Flyhalves:
Mary Zulu (Sharks Women) - 12 caps, 14 points (7 conversions)
Anja le Roux (DHL Western Province) - uncapped
Centres:
Aphiwe Ngwevu (Border Ladies) - 24 caps, 40 points (8 tries)
Simamkele Namba (Springbok Women’s Sevens) – 11 caps, 40 points (8 tries)
Leigh Fortuin (DHL Western Province) - uncapped
Outside backs:
Chuma Qawe (Bulls Daisies) - 11 caps, 0 points
Byrhandrѐ Dolf (Bulls Daisies) - 17 caps, 15 points (3 tries)
Patience Mokone (Bulls Daisies) - uncapped
Nomawethu Mabenge (Sanlam Boland Dames) - 18 caps, 70 points (14 tries)
Management:
Bafana Nhleko (coach), Franzel September (coach), Zwonaka Mbedzi (analyst), Dr. Moshe Magethi (team doctor), Lezane Ward (physiotherapist), Thandiswa Nxomani (team manager)