Springbok Women return to action against visiting Nomads

Jun 21 • General News, International, National, Womens Rugby • 3710 Views • Comments Off on Springbok Women return to action against visiting Nomads

Zandile Nojoko of South Africa prepares to score a try during the IRB Women's Rugby World Cup match between Wales and South Africa at Surrey Sports Park on August 24, 2010 in Guildford, England. Photo by Bryn Lennon /Getty Images

The Springbok Women’s team will play their first match on South African soil in almost four years when they kick off a two-match series against a vastly experienced Nomads international invitation side in Cape Town on Saturday.

Both matches will take place at Goodwood Rugby Club, with the second game in the series scheduled for 30 June. The star-studded Nomads will also play a midweek match against DHL Western Province at Langa Stadium on Tuesday 26 June, kicking off at 18h30.

During their last tour of South Africa in 2008, the tourists, whose 2012 squad are drawn from New Zealand, Wales, England, Ireland, Scotland and Sweden, beat the Springbok Women 40-34 and 29-0 in a similar two-match series.

Springbok Women’s coach Denver Wannies has called up uncapped Maties flanker Celeste Adonis to start in the number-six jersey, while a further four uncapped players – Katlego Moremi, Mathrin Simmers, Thantaswa Macingwana and Theresa Theron – are named on the bench.

“We haven’t played a home game since 2008 so this is an exciting opportunity to show how serious we are and the high standards that the women play to,” said Wannies. “You can train as hard and as much as you like but the real test is playing actual matches.

“We don’t get many opportunities to play and we can only improve if we play against strong opposition on a regular basis.”

The Nomads have included a host of vastly experienced players, including Wales loose forwards Jamie Kift (88 caps) and Clare Flowers (75 caps), while up front, Fiona Coghlan has represented Ireland on 68 occasions.

In contrast, South Africa’s most capped players are fullback Yolanda Meiring and lock Dolly Mavumengwana, both of whom have won 26 caps.

Both series matches kick off at 14h00, and are preceded by curtain-raisers starting at 11h15 and featuring women’s teams from Maties, Busy Bee, Blue Jet, United Brothers, UWC, Khayelitsha and Tygerberg. Entrance is free.

The Springbok Women’s team vs. The Nomads:

Position Name Club/Province Test Caps
15 Yolanda Meiring Tukkies 26
14 Phumeza Gadu African Bombers 14
13 Janine Felix University of the Western Cape 3
12 Daphne Scheepers Lilly White 8
11 Natasha Hofmeester Maties 19
10 Zandile Nojoko African Bombers 24
9 Fundiswa Plaatjie Imonti Penguins 19
8 Lamla Momoti University of Fort Hare 20
7 Nomathamsanqa Faleni Kwaru 12
6 Celeste Adonis Maties 0
5 Nolusindiso Booi University of Fort Hare 10
4 Dolly Mavumengwana Varsity Saints 16
3 Cebisa Kula (Captain) African Bombers 26
2 Denita  Wentzel Maties 3
1 Nedene Botha Defence 11
 
16 Nosipho Poswa University of the Western Cape 12
17 Katlego Moremi Pretoria 0
18 Thantaswa Macingwana Imonti Penguins 0
19 Nombulelo Mayongo Thabong 13
20 Theresa Theron Boland 0
21 Mathrin Simmers SWD 0
22 Lusanda Mtiya Midlands 2

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