Williams demands best performance from SA Women
Mandisa Williams, the SA Women’s rugby captain, has her urged her team mates to deliver their best performance of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010 when they play Wales on Sunday in their last tournament fixture at Guildford in England.
The teams square off in a play-off for ninth position and the encounter is a rematch of their hard-fought Pool A clash of last week, which South Africa won 15-10 to record its maiden World Cup victory. Williams, who is playing in her second World Cup, missed the two previous matches against Australia and Kazakhstan because of an ankle injury in the first encounter against Wales and returns to action against the same team. The respected SA Women’s captain has called on her team to raise their game tomorrow.
“Wales came back strongly during the last 20 minutes against us last week and they will be hungry to reverse the result. Although we did well to hold them back then, we will have to be much stronger especially in defence if we want to succeed.
“If we can manage to start with the same intensity and keep that going throughout the match, then we should stand a good chance. Our backs have shown they can be dangerous when the forwards give them a good platform. This is our last match of the tournament and we must give everything,” said Williams.
Centre Charmaine Kayser has passed a fitness test after she got the medical go-ahead to play following the bump to the side of her head against Australia. The Eastern Province midfielder is a good tackler and her combination with Lorinda Brown worked well last time against Wales.
South Africa has won two of its four WRWC matches, getting the better of Wales and Kazakhstan while losing against defending champions New Zealand and semi-finalists Australia. On Sunday the team coached by Denver Wannies has a chance to cap an already outstanding year for the SA women’s game as another victory over Wales will give them a record seven wins from nine matches this year.
The SA Women’s team to face Wales on Sunday at Surrey Sports Park is:
15. Zandile Nojoko, 14. Ziyanda Tywaleni, 13. Lorinda Brown, 12. Charmaine Kayser, 11. Phumeza Gadu, 10. Zenay Jordaan, 9. Saloma Booysen, 1. Nedene Botha, 2. Nosipho Poswa, 3. Portia Jonga, 4. Onicca Moago, 5. Dolly Mavumengwana, 6. Lamla Momoti, 7. Mandisa Williams, 8. Namhla Siyolo. Replacements: 16. Donna Sidumbu, 17. Laurian Johannes, 18. Phulani Motloung, 19. Yolanda Meiring, 20. Fundiswa Plaatjie, 21. Cherne Roberts, 22. Aimee Barrett.
• In other WRWC news:
• Defending champions New Zealand will play England in the final of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010. The final kicks off at 18:15 (SA time) on Sunday at Twickenham Stoop, following the third place play-off between France and Australia.
• In the other play-off matches on Sunday, USA will face Canada for fifth, Scotland tackle Ireland for seventh while Sweden tackles Kazakhstan in the 11th place play-off.
• The IRB Women’s Personality of the Year 2010 in association with Emirates Airline will be announced at the end of the final. The 2009 winner was Australia’s Debby Hodgkinson.
Issued by SARU Communications
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