The will to win, to redeem themselves, and going back to what makes them strong were important factors in the Springbok Women securing a first ever win on Italian soil at Stadio Omero Tognon in Pordenone on Saturday, with the visitors proving that they belong on the WXV Global Series stage.
The Bok Women scored six tries to four in their 41-29 victory over Italy, ranked three places higher than the South Africans on the world rankings.
Springbok Women co-head coaches Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September lauded the ruthlessness of their set piece, while Sizophila Solontsi, one of the co-captains on the day, said the fact that they wanted the victory more, made the difference in a dramatic match
“We were very strong in our set piece today, with our lineout drives in particular a very potent weapon," said Johannes-Haupt.
“The biggest mistake we made in Wales last weekend was to allow them to get a grip on our lineout drives and a lot of focus this week was to make sure we are clinical in those areas. We were and the result proves that.”
She complimented the team for their decision making as well, saying that they played in the right areas of the field: “The players really deserve a lot of credit. They were not happy with what happened in Wales and worked hard this week to rectify the mistakes we made in Cardiff. We came here with a specific plan in mind, and they executed that very well.”
September said the Bok Women controlled the flow of the match and use their possession very
well.
“We are a set piece team, and we went back to our strengths today,” said September.
“Some of our mauling was the best I have seen in a while, and we could use our lineouts as a proper base to launch our attacks. Our kicking game also worked well, and that forced Italy to play a lot of their rugby from inside their half, where our defence was really strong.”
For September the win justified the hard work of the week: “We really had some hard sessions and focussed on getting rid of the small things that became big things in Wales, and I am very pleased to say we did just that.
“This was a very good win for us. The focus is still on building towards the next World Cup, but you also need the confidence from wins like these to confirm you are on the right track.”
Solontsi said they left nothing on the field: “We were not going to be beaten today. Credit to Italy who also played with a lot of heart and even took the lead with 15 minutes left, but we stayed connected as a group and fought back till we won the match. It is a great feeling and will do wonders for the squad.”
Both flyhalves, Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Byrhandré Dolf, picked up injuries during the game and will be assessed in the coming days. Their medical reports will influence any decisions on potential replacements for the last week in Spain.