Springbok Women’s captain Nolusindiso “Cindy” Booi is excited about working with the newly appointed coaching staff led by well-known tactician Swys de Bruin.
Experienced former Springbok coaching consultant De Bruin was named the new Bok Women's senior team coach on Wednesday.
Former Springbok Sevens captain Kevin Foote is the new Junior Springboks coach, while Bafana Nhleko has been redeployed from the SA U20s to the senior women’s 15s team.
De Bruin has been appointed as performance coach until the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England in September 2025, along with Nhleko and current assistant coaches Franzel September and Laurian Johannes-Haupt.
Their immediate task ahead is a warm-up match against the Barbarians Women on September 7 and a Test match against Spain on September 19 — before WXV 2, where they face Japan (September 27), Australia (October 5) and Italy (October 12).
Booi, a 39-year-old lock from Middledrift, said she is looking forward to learning new tricks from the new appointees.
New #BokWomen coaching head, Swys de Bruin, reflects on his first week with #squad and how plans are going for @wxv (coming soon). #MakeItCount@fnbsa#TrainingCamp pic.twitter.com/POMl3d8BMd
— SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) August 24, 2024
“For me, coaches will come and go, as players do also, but the only thing that will stay there is the rugby game,” Booi said.
“The rugby game will always be there, the rules might change, but the game will be there.
“So we are focusing on taking whatever the coaches will be giving us which is new, and adding on to what we already know.
“Everything is still OK and we are excited to be working with the new coaches.”
The squad are on a two-week camp in Gqeberha as part of their preparations for a much-anticipated clash against a Barbarians side in Cape Town on September 7.
On Wednesday the Boks visited the Motherwell Rugby Football Club, where they conducted a coaching clinic at the NU1 Stadium in Motherwell.
“We need to work on new things and we will see as the week goes. We are hoping to do well and we know that the competition is not going to be easy we will have to come up with our A game.
“We want to win games, we want to show these young girls that are here that we are winners as well.”
The camp in Gqeberha aims to align rugby strategies and game plans with their newly appointed coaching staff, spearheaded by De Bruin.
“It is great to be back with SA Rugby after being involved with the Junior Springboks and Springboks in the past and I cannot wait to start their Rugby World Cup journey with the Springbok Womenl,” De Bruin said.
“This is also an opportunity for me to live my other passion, being a performance lead to other coaches, something I have been involved with in the last five years.”
“We are playing five matches in the next two months, and we had to hit the ground running, so it is good that there are good foundations in place and there is no need to reinvent the wheel.”
Springbok Women training squad: Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Golden Lions), Aphiwe Ngwevu, Eloise Webb, Nombuyekezo Mdliki (all Border Ladies), Roseline Botes, Luchell Hanekom, Nolusindiso Booi, Shaunique Hess, Azisa Mkiva, Sinazo Mcatshuwa, Nomsa Mokwai (all WP), Mary Zulu, Tayla Kinsey, Amanda Ndlovu, Nobuhle Mjwara, Vanessa Holmes (all Sharks), Maceala Samboya, Felicia Jacobs, Chuma Qawe, Nompumelelo Mathe, Nomawethu Mabenge, Aseza Hele, Veroeshka Grain (all Sanlam Boland Dames), Babalwa Latsha, Danelle Lochner (Harlequins), Catha Jacobs (Leicester Tigers), Lindelwa Gwala (Ealing Traifinders), Sinelitha Noxeke, Sizophila Solontsi, Byrhandre Dolf, Yonela Ngxingolo, Micke Gunter, Chumisa Qawe, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, Ayanda Malinga, Maria Tshiremba, Zintle Mpupha, Sanelisiwe Charlie, Jakkie Cilliers, Vainah Ubisi, Anathi Qolo, Unam Tose, Rumandi Potgieter (all Bulls Daisies), Nadine Roos (unattached).
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