South Africa Women’s Rugby World Cup Squad 2022

South Africa Women’s Rugby World Cup Squad 2022

South Africa make their return to the women’s Rugby World Cup for the first time since 2014 after deciding not to enter RWC 2017.

SA Rugby have focused on rebuilding the women’s programme over the past eight years and go into this tournament on the back of some confidence-building results – a 1-1 series draw in Japan and a 2-0 series win over Spain.

Off the field, former Ireland centre Lynne Cantwell has taken over as South Africa’s high-performance manager for women’s rugby and is aiming to increase player numbers and standards.

With England and France both in their pool, along with Fiji, reaching the quarter-finals at this World Cup is likely to be a long shot but they will certainly bring plenty of physicality to all their matches.

South Africa Women’s Rugby World Cup Squad 2022

Nolusindiso Booi will captain South Africa in what will be the lock’s third Rugby World Cup. It will also be a third tournament for Zenay Jordaan, who played in 2010 and 2014, while Tayla Kinsey and Asithandile Ntoyanto are heading to their second World Cups.

The rest of the squad, though, will be making their 15s World Cup debuts in New Zealand, although there are six players who featured in the recent Sevens World Cup in Cape Town – Lerato Makua, Zintle Mpupha, Simamkele Namba, Nadine Roos, Sizophila Solontsi and Eloise Webb.

Coach Stanley Raubenheimer said: “The pandemic worked for us as it gave us an extra year to prepare as the tournament was moved to 2022, and we are going to New Zealand knowing that we have given ourselves the best chance possible.

“I feel a sense of anticipation now, thinking back to where we started and how we have grown, and that we are now ready to take on the best teams in the world. We have our objectives and one of them is to not only make the country proud with our effort, but ourselves as well.

“This squad travelled a wonderful journey together and we can now celebrate that by taking on the biggest teams on the biggest stage.”

Backs

(DoB/Team/Position/Caps)

Jakkie Cilliers (Blue Bulls/Centre/2)

Libbie Janse van Rensburg (28 Sep 1994/Blue Bulls/Fly-half/10)

Zenay Jordaan (4 Apr 1991/EP Queens/Fly-half/34)

Tayla Kinsey (5 Sep 1993/Sharks/Scrum-half/21)

Nomawethu Mabenge (27 Aug 1996/EP Queens/Wing/9)

Zintle Mpupha (25 Dec 1993/Western Province/Centre/15)

Simamkele Namba (3 Oct 1998/Western Province/Wing/6)

Aphiwe Ngwevu (14 May 1998/Border/Centre/12)

Rumandi Potgieter (5 Oct 1997/Blue Bulls/Scrum-half/3)

Chuma Qawe (Western Province/Wing/3)

Chumisa Qawe (15 Nov 1999/Western Province/Centre/9)

Nadine Roos (9 May 1996/Blue Bulls/Wing/8)

Unam Tose (3 May 2000/Border/Scrum-half/11)

Eloise Webb (5 Mar 1996/Border/Wing/7)

Forwards

Nolusindiso Booi (29 Jun 1985/Western Province/Lock/30)

Roseline Botes (25 Nov 1999/Western Province/Hooker/5)

Sanelisiwe Charlie (1 May 2000/EP Queens/Prop/4)

Lusanda Dumke (11 Sep 1996/Border/Back-row/15)

Micke Gunter (25 Oct 1998/Sharks/Hooker/3)

Lindelwa Gwala (24 Aug 1997/Sharks/Hooker/18)

Aseza Hele (26 Nov 1994/Boland/Back-row/5)

Catha Jacobs (2 Jun 1998/Blue Bulls/Lock/7)

Babalwa Latsha (31 Mar 1994/Western Province/Prop/17)

Lerato Makua (12 Jul 1999/Blue Bulls/Lock/5)

Nompumelelo Mathe (30 Oct 1999/Sharks/Lock/8)

Monica Mazibukwana (28 May 1998/EP Queens/Prop/3)

Sinazo Mcatshulwa (24 Dec 1996/Western Province/Back-row/15)

Rights Mkhari (9 Sep 1994/Blue Bulls/Back-row/8)

Azisa Mkiva (9 Feb 1999/Western Province/Prop/1)

Yonela Ngxingolo (3 Mar 1998/Border/Prop/18)

Asithandile Ntoyanto (6 May 1991/Border/Prop/12)

Sizophila Solontsi (9 Mar 1992/Sharks/Back-row/13)

South Africa Women’s Rugby World Cup Fixtures 2022

(All kick-off times are UK & Ireland time)

Pool C

Sat 8 Oct, South Africa v France (2.15am, Eden Park, Auckland)

Sun 16 Oct, Fiji v South Africa (5.45am, Waitakere Stadium, Auckland)

Sun 23 Oct, England v South Africa (5.45am, Waitakere Stadium, Auckland)

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