The women's Springbok rugby team's quest to reverse the 16-week suspension of captain Mandisa Williams has failed, and the team has had to make peace with the fact that they will have to complete their World Cup campaign in France without her.
Late on Monday the International Rugby Board upheld the lengthy ban on Williams for eye- gouging and striking a player in their opening World Cup match against Australia two weeks ago.
Last Friday the South African team management appealed against the decision but the failure of their bid has dashed all hope of the influential captain being available for the remaining two matches of the World Cup.
Today the Bok women will square up against Samoa in their penultimate clash in which they will hope to secure a spot in the ninth-10th place play-off.
Coach Lawrence Sephaka said his team want to improve on their 10th-place finish in the 2010 World Cup. Should the Boks beat Samoa, they will meet either Spain or Kazakhstan in the play-off on Sunday.
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