Blitzbok Women storm to Africa Sevens glory without conceding a single point

THE SPRINGBOK Women’s Sevens reaffirmed their status as the top team in Africa after a commanding performance at the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Cup in Nairobi, where they claimed a 22-0 victory over hosts Kenya in Sunday’s final. The win capped off a flawless tournament in which South Africa scored 214 points and, remarkably, conceded none.

Head coach Cecil Afrika credited the team’s unity, discipline and commitment for their exceptional showing, emphasising that the collective effort was the cornerstone of their success.

“The players really deserve the credit, they put in such hard work, and the results were a welcome reward for that,” said Afrika. “We came here to defend our title, but also to qualify for the Challenger 3 tournament, something we managed to do. So it is mission accomplished.”

Afrika praised his squad for sticking to the game plan and maintaining a strong bond throughout the tournament. He said their tight group dynamic played a major role in their ability to execute under pressure.

The next phase of preparation begins immediately, with the team set to compete in an international invitational event at the Emirates Dubai Sevens in two weeks’ time. Afrika confirmed that several developing players will be added to the squad as they work to broaden their talent base ahead of the Challenger 3 tournament, also scheduled for Dubai in January.

“I believe we will have good internal competition inside the squad to make it to that big one in Dubai next year,” he said. “We really go out there to represent our country to the best of our abilities and to make them proud. I think we managed that. A big thank you to all the supporters; it really helps to motivate us.”

Captain Nadine Roos echoed the coach’s sentiments, commending her teammates for their determination and defensive commitment.

“We came here with a strong mindset and purpose, and I think we showed what we are capable of,” Roos said. “The way we defended, especially in the final against Kenya, proved how much we wanted to win, as we kept them out, as we did with all our opponents during the weekend.”

Roos finished the tournament as the team’s top points scorer with 48 points and earned the Player of the Final award. Maria Tshiremba (seven tries), Simamkele Namba (6), and Patience Mokone (6) were the team’s leading try scorers.