History! Brave Springbok Women reach Rugby World Cup quarter-finals for the first time

They have done it! The Springbok Women are through to the quarter-finals of a Rugby World Cup for the first time after showing true South African grit to outlast Italy 29-24 in a dramatic Pool D match in York on Sunday evening.

The Boks needed to win two of their three pool matches to make it to the playoffs, and the defeat of Italy, combined with last week’s rout of Brazil, means they go through, regardless of the outcome of their final pool game against France next week.

There were scenes of unbridled jubilation at the final whistle as the South Africans enjoyed a moment they had worked so hard for.

In many ways, this game was about the pace of Italy versus the power of South Africa, and it was the latter that prevailed – but not by much.

The Boks had a dream start. Italy tried to run the ball out of their 22 and knocked it on. The Bok scrum turned on the afterburners, and Aseza Hele blasted forward and over the line for her fourth try of the tournament.

The Boks let off Italy when they messed up a maul that was charging towards the line, allowing a truck and trailer to form, but they made up for it a minute later when Libbie Janse van Rensburg sweetly dummied through the defence to put halfback partner Nadine Roos clean through.

Italy, staring down the barrel of a 12-0 deficit, fashioned their best attack of the game, only for Roos to put in a try-saving tackle.

Italy kept up the pressure, and fullback Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi ghosted through the outside defence.

Roos was at it again on the half-hour mark when a wonderful backline movement, launched by an advancing scrum, saw Roos set up Ayanda Malinga for a scorching run down the touchline to the line.

Five minutes before half-time, prop Sanelisiwe Charlie’s discipline let her down when she flew off her feet at a ruck. Italy cashed in on the penalty by scoring several phases later via hooker Vittoria Vecchini.

The South Africans would have been disappointed in how they ended the half — they kept the ball through 17 phases and were centimetres from the line when they conceded a penalty.

Italy would have gone into the changing room lifted by their defence at the end of the half and by a scoreline of 17-12, given that at one point the Boks looked like they were going to run away with the game.

The Italians were on a roll, and they scored a beauty not long into the second half. They caught the Boks napping with a front-of-the-lineout move that had the hooker setting up flank Francesca Sgorbini for the try.

Fortunately for the Boks, the missed conversion attempt left the scores at 17-17.

The Boks struck back when replacement loosehead Yonela Ngxingolo muscled over from close quarters to lead 24-17, but with ten minutes to go, relentless Italian pressure culminated in prop Sara Seye crashing over under the crossbar. The conversion locked the score at 24-24.

Sadly for the Boks, their lineout malfunctioned in those last minutes, yet they found a way over the line through flank Sinazo Mcatshulwa. Could they hang on for five minutes? They did — sending South African supporters into raptures.

Point-Scorers

South Africa — Tries: Aseza Hele, Nadine Roos, Ayanda Malinga, Yonela Ngxingolo, Sinazo Mcatshulwa. Conversions: Byrhandré Dolf (2).

Italy — Tries: Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, Vittoria Veccheni, Francesca Sgorbini, Sara Seye. Conversions: Michela Sillari (2).