Babalwa Latsha will captain the Springbok Women against New Zealand’s Black Ferns on Saturday, 5 September, as South Africa prepare to host the New Zealand women’s side for their first Test on home soil.
The match will be played at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, with kick-off scheduled for 13:30. It will be broadcast on SuperSport.
Latsha is one of six forwards selected to start again after South Africa’s meeting with New Zealand in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England almost a year ago. The Black Ferns won that match 46-17.
Vainah Ubisi and Catha Jacobs were among South Africa’s replacements in that fixture but have been promoted to the starting line-up this weekend. They come in for Nolusindiso Booi, who has retired, and the injured Sinazo Mcatshulwa.
Latsha will pack down alongside Sanelisiwe Charlie and Lindelwa Gwala in the front row. Ubisi partners Danelle Lochner in the second row, while Jacobs joins Sizophila Solontsi and Aseza Hele in the back row.
Anushka Groenewald, Nomsa Mokwai, Logan Welman and hybrid player Shiniqwa Lamprecht are included among the forwards on the replacements bench. All four will face the Black Ferns for the first time.
Five backs retain their starting places from the previous meeting: Byrhandre Dolf, Zintle Mpupha, Aphiwe Ngwevu, Ayanda Malinga and Libbie Janse van Rensburg.
Unam Tose replaces the injured Nadine Roos at scrum-half. Alichia Arries comes into the starting line-up on the wing, while Maceala Samboya moves to the bench. Anacadia Minnaar provides cover at scrum-half.
Tose, Minnaar and Arries are also set to make their first appearances against New Zealand.
The squad was finalised after the unexpected decision by Swys de Bruin to step down from his coaching role. Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September will co-coach the team for the match.
Johannes-Haupt said the coaching staff had been able to choose from a stronger pool of players and remained confident in the group selected for the landmark fixture.
“We have managed to build some extra depth since that match earlier this season when we played in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and the two series against the USA Eagles Women and Fijiana,” said Johannes-Haupt, who co-coaches the team this week with Franzel September following the shock decision by Swys de Bruin to step down from the role.
“We believe this is the right squad for this game, and we go to FNB Stadium with a very specific game plan in mind.
“We have certain characteristics as Springbok Women and that include being very physical in our first phase, so there is no reason to move away from that. We are aware of what the Black Ferns will bring, but selected this group because we want to play a certain way, not in reaction to who might be in their team,” added Johannes-Haupt.
South Africa have built additional depth during the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and two series against USA Eagles Women and Fijiana. Johannes-Haupt said the team would not abandon its physical approach in response to New Zealand’s selection.
“This is a big moment for us as a team, but we will make sure the focus remains between the four lines, where the Blacks Ferns will no doubt come with a massive onslaught.”
Johannes-Haupt, who played against the Black Ferns at the 2010 Women’s World Cup, said the occasion reflected the progress made by the team and by the women’s game.
The Springbok Women starting XV is:
15 Byrhandre Dolf, 14 Alichia Arries, 13 Zintle Mpupha, 12 Aphiwe Ngwevu, 11 Ayanda Malinga, 10 Libbie Janse van Rensburg, 9 Unam Tose, 8 Aseza Hele, 7 Catha Jacobs, 6 Sizophila Solontsi, 5 Danelle Lochner, 4 Vainah Ubisi, 3 Babalwa Latsha (captain), 2 Lindelwa Gwala, 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie.
Replacements: 16 Anushka Groenewald, 17 Yonela Ngxingolo, 18 Nombuyekezo Mdliki, 19 Nomsa Mokwai, 20 Shiniqwa Lamprecht, 21 Logan Welman, 22 Anacadia Minnaar, 23 Maceala Samboya.
The match officials are referee Zoe Naude, assistant referees Giana Viljoen and Angie Bezuidenhout, and television match official Quinton Immelman.
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