Springbok Women will battle butterflies with the help of their experienced core

I READ an interesting opinion piece recently, where the writer explains that a butterfly is a very fragile entity, whose viability is much dependent on the weather. In particular, this insect has a constant need for uninterrupted sunshine, which it needs for mobility. 

Apparently, butterflies are fiercely dependent on the sunshine; these fragile insects need the heat provided by the sun beating down on them to fuel the muscles used to flap their wings and fly.

And then, handle a butterfly too roughly, and you can unintentionally damage the creature, even cause its death.

However, according to another report, though butterflies may seem fragile, every part of their body is perfectly designed for survival, movement, and transformation.

So, the point is, underestimate the humble butterfly at your own peril.

This is something that the Springbok women should keep foremost, or at least near the front of their minds, ahead of the 2025 Rugby World Cup.

I say this because among the 32-player squad, there are some Bok women who will be in the cauldron of the World Cup for the first time, and there are bound to be butterflies in some bellies.

The point is, though butterflies in nature may be fragile, if these rookies don’t conquer their belly butterflies, they could be in for a hard time at the cusp of battle.

A good balance in the squad

The good news is that the Springbok Women coaching team have taken this into account, and have provided a healthy dose of experience in the team’s mix.

And this starts right at the top with Nolusindiso Booi, who is the most-capped Springbok Women’s player. Booi will lead a strong South African squad containing 19 players out of the 32 with previous Women’s Rugby World Cup experience to the 2025 global showpiece which kicks off in England in a few weeks’ time.

Bok Women head coach Swys de Bruin’s squad was named at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday for the four-yearly tournament, where South Africa will face Brazil, Italy and France in Pool D.

Booi, who captained the squad at the previous tournament in New Zealand in 2022, is also South Africa’s most experienced Test captain, having led the side in 23 Tests.

Babalwa Latsha, who captained the Bok Women in 14 Test matches, as well as in the recent Black Ferns XV series, was named as vice-captain. Booi (2010, 2014, 2022) and Tayla Kinsey (2014, 2022) are the most experienced players in the squad, which boast a combined total of 689 Test caps.

So the World Cup first-timers will have a good crop of experience to help them along. Amongst the 19 forwards, eight will be experiencing a Women’s Rugby World Cup for the first time. They are Anathi Qolo (lock), who captained the side at the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar in June, as well as Luchell Hanekom (hooker), Xoliswa Khuzwayo (prop), Nombuyekezo Mdliki (prop), Danelle Lochner (lock) and Vainah Ubisi (lock), all of whom played for South Africa last year, while Faith Tshauke (flanker) made her Test debut in Madagascar a few months ago.

Four of the 13 backs will represent South Africa on this level for the first time: wings Maceala Samboya and Ayanda Malinga, flyhalf Mary Zulu and utility back Byrhandré Dolf are the newcomers in a backline stacked with players who have encountered the pressures of the Rugby World Cup before.

All 32 players selected for the Women’s Rugby World Cup featured either against Spain in April, the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup, the two Tests against Canada in July, or the two recent internationals against the Black Ferns XV, which was a telling factor in their final selection, according to De Bruin.

“We used 49 players during the season where we played six Test matches and four international friendlies, and I know we got the balance right,” said De Bruin.

“There will always be unfortunate players not selected, but as a coaching staff we are happy that we got the group we wanted.”

De Bruin said what excites him most are the combinations they will work with: “I believe that will push us towards the play-offs as we have so many options for each opponent, and that will boost our abilities. This selection is a culmination of hard work and sacrifice for the players, and I want to congratulate them. We all know the journeys each one travelled and for most, it was not easy.”

In the end, though butterflies thrive in sunshine, the Bok women will not be shunning the heat. In fact, they will turn it up themselves and will also be hoping for some warmth from home, from their fans, their #PlusOne at this event.

• The squad will assemble in Johannesburg on Tuesday, August 12 and depart for England on Thursday, August 14. Their first match is against Brazil 10 days later.

Springbok Women 2025 Rugby World Cup squad:

Props:

Sanelisiwe Charlie (Bulls Daisies) – 26 caps, 10 points (2 tries)*

Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Golden Lions Women) – 8 caps, 0 points)

Yonela Ngxingolo (Bulls Daisies) – 35 caps, 15 points (3 tries)*

Babalwa Latsha (vice-captain, unattached) – 36 caps, 30 points (6 tries)*

Nombuyekezo Mdliki (Border Ladies) – 5 caps, 0 points

Hookers:

Micke Gunter (Leicester Tigers Women, England) – 13 caps, 5 points (1 try)*

Lindelwa Gwala (unattached) – 35 caps, 75 points (15 tries)*

Luchell Hanekom (DHL Western Province) – 9 caps, 0 points)

Locks:

Nolusindiso Booi (captain, DHL Western Province) – 52 caps, 5 points (1 try)*

Danelle Lochner (Harlequins Women) – 19 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

Nomsa Mokwai (DHL Western Province) –13 caps, 0 points

Anathi Qolo (Bulls Daisies) – 9 caps, 5 points (1 try)

Vainah Ubisi (Bulls Daisies) – 18 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

Utility and loose forwards:

Aseza Hele (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 28 caps, 65 points (13 tries)*

Catha Jacobs (unattached) – 22 caps, 5 points (1 try)*

Lerato Makua (Bulls Daisies) – 15 caps, 15 points (3 tries)*

Sinazo Mcatshulwa (unattached) – 38 caps, 55 points (11 tries)*

Sizophila Solontsi (Bulls Daisies) – 28 caps, 45 points (9 tries)*

Faith Tshauke (Bulls Daisies) – 3 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

Scrumhalves:

Unam Tose (Bulls Daisies) – 27 caps, 12 points (2 tries, 1 conversion)*

Tayla Kinsey (Sharks Women) – 40 caps, 53 points (3 tries, 16 conversions, 2 penalty goals)*

Flyhalves:

Libbie Janse van Rensburg (Bulls Daisies) – 27 caps, 209 points (12 tries, 55 conversions, 12 penalties, 1 drop goal)*

Mary Zulu (Sharks Women) – 15 caps, 40 points (20 conversions)

Centres:

Zintle Mpupha (Bulls Daisies) – 26 caps, 106 points (20 tries, 3 conversions)*

Aphiwe Ngwevu (Border Ladies) – 27 caps, 60 points (12 tries)*

Chumisa Qawe (Bulls Daisies) – 22 caps, 20 points (4 tries)*

Eloise Webb (Border Ladies) – 17 caps, 30 points (6 tries)*

Outside backs:

Jakkie Cilliers (Bulls Daisies) – 19 caps, 106 points (9 tries, 23 conversions, 5 penalty goals)*

Ayanda Malinga (Bulls Daisies) – 13 caps, 65 points (13 tries)

Maceala Samboya (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 4 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

Utility backs:

Byrhandré Dolf (Bulls Daisies) – 22 caps, 37 points (7 tries, 1 conversion)

Nadine Roos (unattached) – 18 caps, 35 points (5 tries, 5 conversions)*

* denotes previous RWC experience.

Pool D schedule (SA times):

Sunday 24 August

3.45pm (Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton): SA vs Brazil

Sunday 31 August

4.30pm (York Community Stadium, York): SA vs Italy

Sunday 7 September

5.45pm (Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton): SA vs France

• The Rugby World Cup quarter-finals will be played on the weekend of September 13/14, with the semi-finals on September 19/20 and the final on Saturday, September 27.

Team Management:

Swys de Bruin (head coach). Laurian Johannes-Haupt (assistant coach), Bafana Nhleko (assistant coach), Franzel September (assistant coach), Naasier Parker (strength and conditioning coach), Zenay Jordaan (World Rugby Gallagher High Performance Academy coach), Moshe Magethi (team doctor), Neda Isaacs (physiotherapist), Lezane Ward (physiotherapist), Thandiswa Nxomani (team manager), JJ Harmse (media manager)

Zwonaka Mbedzi (analyst), Thembisa Nxopo (operations)