Roos expected to do a lot of sidestepping and dummies for Boks women’s team

Catch me if you can. That seems to be the Springbok sevens rugby player, Nadine Roos, attitude when she has got the ball in hand.

No one often does, as the Tuks player tends to be like quicksilver on the field . . . fast and unpredictable. Scoring tries has become second nature to her. She scored five tries during the recent Africa Women's Sevens Cup Tournament in Tunisia. In doing so, she helped the Springboks qualify for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

"To me, it was vital to help the Springboks qualify for the Games. We have got some unfinished business to settle. In 2018 during the Gold Coast Games, we finished last. It is not as if we had not given our best. Unfortunately, we missed out on qualifying for the Women's Seven Series the week before. We lost to China in the final. So when we arrived at the Games, we did not have the best mindset.

"I am never one to make wild predictions, but I think we will give a better account of ourselves this time around. That is if we stick to the basics."

The Springboks' most significant obstacle in the buildup to the Commonwealth Games could be a lack of game time. According to Roos, before the African Cup Tournament, the last time they played was in November 2019 in Cape Town.

Next week the team will be playing the Toulouse 7s in France. It is going to be a reality check. On 20 May the Boks are playing against Australia and the USA. The next day they face off against Fiji. Australia is currently the top-ranked team in the world. The USA is third and Fiji sixth.

The Tuks player would have it no other way.

"Paul Delport, our coach, is fond of saying you can train until you blue in the face, but it is not the real thing. He wants us to play games as different scenarios play out in every match. You have to adapt to what happens while still sticking to the game plan."

Over the next six months, Roos might expect to sidestep and dummy quite a lot to help the Springboks win games. Last year she debuted for Springbok's XV as well. Roos has got two caps to her name. Being the matchwinner she is, she will, in all probability, represent the Boks in Women's World Cup Tournament in October.

But before then, she will be in action at the Commonwealth Games and represent South Africa at the Women's Sevens World Cup Tournament. Roos admits it will be demanding. That is why she plans to make the most of every free moment. One of her favourite ways to relax during "Me Time" is sitting down for a good cup of coffee in a quiet restaurant.

But then again, Roos is not one to sit still for hours on end. She is a fitness fanatic being at her happiest if she can push physical boundaries. So to relax, the Tuks player does Crossfit. Last year she competed at the Crossfit Games in the USA.

"Crossfit is the ultimate physical challenge. There is always something you got to work on to get better, and when you succeed, it is a pure adrenaline rush."