The South Africa women's national rugby union team represents South Africa in women's international rugby union and is governed by the South African Rugby Union. They have appeared in four World Cups since their debut in the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup.
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Nickname | Springbok Women | ||
---|---|---|---|
Emblem | Springbok | ||
Union | South African Rugby Union | ||
Head coach | Swys de Bruin | ||
Captain | Nolusindiso Booi | ||
Most caps | Nolusindiso Booi | ||
| |||
World Rugby ranking | |||
Current | 12 (as of 4 September 2023) | ||
Highest | 10 (2011) | ||
First international | |||
![]() ![]() (Port Elizabeth, South Africa; 29 May 2004) | |||
Biggest win | |||
![]() ![]() (Cape Town, South Africa; 23 June 2022) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (East Molesey, England; 14 May 2005) | |||
World Cup | |||
Appearances | 4 (First in 2006) | ||
Best result | 10th place, 2010, 2014 | ||
Website | https://www.sarugby.co.za/ |

History
editThe Springbok Women played their first Test in 2004.[1] They have won the Rugby Africa Women's Cup twice — in 2019 and 2022.[2][3] South Africa climbed to eleventh place on the World Rugby ranking in September 2022 with wins over Japan and Spain.[4]
Players
editRecent squad
editOn 22 September, South Africa announced their 30-member squad to WXV2.[5]
Crew
editHead coach | Swys de Bruin |
Assistant coaches | Lungisa Kama, Eddie Myners |
World Rugby Intern coach | Laurian Johannes-Haupt |
Team manager | Nomsebenzi Tsotsobe |
Team doctor | Dr Moshe Magethi |
Physiotherapists | Reagan Cele, Lezane Ward |
Conditioning coach | Naasier Parker |
Performance coach | Dr Bianca Joseph |
Dietitian | Robyn Moore |
Analyst | Gillian Bourke |
High performance manager | Lynne Cantwell |
Media manager | J.J. Harmse |
Results
editFor the full list of all Springbok Women matches:
World Ranking
editRugby World Ranking per year end [6]
Year | Ranking | Points | Matches | Won | Lost | Draw | ΣMatches | ΣWon | ΣLost | ΣDraw |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | 26 | 46 | 2 | - | 2 | - | 2 | - | 2 | - |
2005 | 24 | 48 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 4 | 1 | 3 | - |
2006 | 21 | 53.99 | 7 | 2 | 5 | - | 11 | 3 | 8 | - |
2007 | 21 | 53.99 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 3 | 8 | - |
2008 | 21 | 53.99 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 3 | 8 | - |
2009 | 20 | 54.99 | 4 | - | 3 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 11 | 1 |
2010 | 11 | 69.06 | 9 | 6 | 3 | - | 24 | 9 | 14 | 1 |
2011 | 10 | 70.72 | 4 | 1 | 3 | - | 28 | 10 | 17 | 1 |
2012 | 11 | 70.72 | - | - | - | - | 28 | 10 | 17 | 1 |
2013 | 11 | 70.72 | 5 | 1 | 4 | - | 33 | 11 | 21 | 1 |
2014 | 12 | 68.51 | 6 | 1 | 5 | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
2015 | 12 | 68.51 | - | - | - | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
2016 | 12 | 68.51 | - | - | - | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
2017 | 13 | 68.51 | - | - | - | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
2018 | 12 | 67.98 | 3 | - | 3 | - | 42 | 12 | 29 | 1 |
2019 | 14 | 63.39 | 6 | 3 | 3 | - | 48 | 15 | 32 | 1 |
2020 | 13 | 63.39 | - | - | - | - | 48 | 15 | 32 | 1 |
2021 | 13 | 63.39 | 4 | 2 | 2 | - | 52 | 17 | 34 | 1 |
2022 | 13 | 64.50 | - | - | - | - | 52 | 17 | 34 | 1 |
Total | - | - | 52 | 17 | 34 | 1 | 33% | 67% | 0% |
World Cup results
editRank | Change* | Team | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | England | 97.56 | |
2 | Canada | 89.31 | |
3 | New Zealand | 88.64 | |
4 | France | 85.11 | |
5 | Australia | 78.10 | |
6 | Ireland | 78.03 | |
7 | Scotland | 76.82 | |
8 | Italy | 74.75 | |
9 | United States | 74.20 | |
10 | Wales | 72.58 | |
11 | Japan | 66.41 | |
12 | South Africa | 66.18 | |
13 | Spain | 65.42 | |
14 | Samoa | 60.56 | |
15 | Netherlands | 60.20 | |
16 | Fiji | 59.14 | |
17 | Hong Kong | 56.20 | |
18 | Kazakhstan | 55.23 | |
19 | Russia | 55.10 | |
20 | Sweden | 52.72 | |
*Change from the previous week |
Rugby World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | PF | PA | ||||||||||||
South Africa was not invited to any of the World Cups between 1991 and 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | Ninth play-off | 12th | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 30 | 258 | ||||||||||||
2010 | Ninth play-off | 10th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 60 | 166 | ||||||||||||
2014 | Plate semi-final | 10th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 34 | 176 | ||||||||||||
2017 | Did Not Enter | |||||||||||||||||||
2021[8] | Pool Stage | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 136 | ||||||||||||
2025 | Qualified | |||||||||||||||||||
2029 | TBD | |||||||||||||||||||
2033 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total | 4/9 | 10th† | 18 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 146 | 736 | ||||||||||||
|
Results summary
editOpponent | First game | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 2006 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
Cameroon | 2023 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Canada | 2009 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
England | 2005 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
Fiji | 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
France | 2009 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0% |
Ireland | 2006 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
Italy | 2018 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
Japan | 2022 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
Kazakhstan | 2006 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75% |
Kenya | 2019 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Madagascar | 2019 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Namibia | 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Netherlands | 2006 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
New Zealand | 2010 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
Samoa | 2006 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 66.67% |
Scotland | 2010 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 40% |
Spain | 2014 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 57.14% |
Uganda | 2013 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
United States | 2009 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 16.67% |
Wales | 2004 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 25% |
Zimbabwe | 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Summary | 2004 | 73 | 30 | 1 | 41 | 41.10% |
See also
editPlayers
References
edit- ^ "Expanding women's game a priority for SA Rugby". Rugby Afrique. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Springbok Women Qualify for 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup". Rugby Africa. Johannesburg: Rugby Africa. 18 August 2019.
- ^ "Springbok Women". SA Rugby. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Bok Women 'not just participants' at World Cup". SA Rugby magazine. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Dumke declared fit for WXV 2 campaign". SA Rugby. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "World Rugby Ranking (Women)". World Rugby.
- ^ "Women's World Rankings". World Rugby. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
- ^ Due to the Global Covid pandemic this World Cup took place in 2022
External links
editWikimedia Commons has media related to South Africa women's national rugby union team.