Springbok Women shine at World Cup, with Dolf leading the way
Springbok Women's utility backline player Byrhandré Dolf, emerged as the team’s leading points scorer and record breaker at the World Cup.
Image: Conray Swail / File
The Springbok Women capped off their best-ever Rugby World Cup campaign with a string of historic achievements that lifted the team to new heights.
They finished the tournament ranked 10th in the world – their highest position yet – and reached the quarter-finals for the first time. Along the way, they also beat Italy for the first time in their history and opened their campaign with a record 66-6 victory over Brazil, the biggest win the side has ever recorded.
Milestones across the field
Aseza Hele delivered another piece of history by scoring South Africa’s first Women’s Rugby World Cup hat-trick against Brazil. She added another try against Italy, making her total of four the most ever by a South African at the tournament. Nadine Roos and Ayanda Malinga both scored three tries each, sharing second place on the all-time list.
The team’s defensive effort also stood out. Sinazo Mcatshulwa made 28 tackles, the most by any Springbok Woman at the event, followed closely by Hele (24) and both Sizophila Solontsi and Babalwa Latsha (23 each).
Altogether, the squad scored 122 points – their highest tally at a World Cup – and crossed the tryline 19 times, another record. On the other side of the ball, they conceded 133 points and 21 tries, both the lowest numbers in their tournament history.
Dolf at the top
But the standout of the campaign was utility backline player Byrhandré Dolf, who emerged as the team’s leading points scorer and record breaker.
Dolf racked up 27 points across four matches, eclipsing Zandile Nojoko’s previous record of 26 World Cup points, which had been set over 15 matches and three tournaments. Her tally included 12 conversions and a penalty goal.
She also covered the most running metres in the team, with 293, narrowly edging Roos’s 290. Playing both at fullback and wing, her counterattacks provided vital momentum throughout the tournament.
Explaining how she became the side’s primary kicker, Dolf said: “Before our match against Brazil, coach Swys suggested that the three kickers – myself, Libbie (Janse van Rensburg) and Jakkie (Cilliers) – must have a kick-out to ensure that whoever is striking the ball best on the day, would kick in the match. So, the call came to me and luckily I kicked well during the tournament.”s text.
By the numbers
Most caps: Zandile Nojoko (15), Nolusindiso Booi (14)
Most points: Byrhandré Dolf (27), Zandile Nojoko (26)
Most tries: Aseza Hele (4), Ayanda Malinga (3), Nadine Roos (3)
Most conversions: Byrhandré Dolf (12)
Most penalty goals: Zandile Nojoko (4)
Biggest victory: 66-6 vs Brazil (2025)
Biggest defeat: 0-75 vs England (2022)