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Springbok Women Secure their spot on the big stage!

Springbok Women are heading to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series for the first time.

They will make their debut as a core team next season, following their victories over Belgium in back to back qualifying tournaments.

The South African team had already made two appearances in the 2023 competition as an invitational squad for the Cape Town 7s tournament as well as the Dubai 7s invitational tournament.

World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series

The competition was set-up on a two consecutive weekends format (20-22 and 28-30 April), regrouping 12 teams divided into two pools.

1- Pool D: South Africa, Paraguay, Madagascar And Thailand

2- Pool E: Belgium, Czechia, Colombia, Papua New Guinea

3- Pool F: China, Poland, Hong Kong, Mexico

Both tournaments were played at the Markötter Stadium in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The Springbok women managed to lift the trophy twice. Their last victory over Belgium, 17-14, guaranteed their place in the World Rugby Sevens Series 2024, as the 12th and final team.

Springbok Women: Preparation

This qualification comes as a huge accomplishment after the Boks hadn’t registered a single win in their matches at the Cape Town 7s tournament, in December 2022.

Contrary to the men’s South African teams, the women’s XV and 7s sides are contracted under one box within the South African Rugby Union (SARU), making it complicated to differentiate between the two squads when competitions align (e.g. New Zealand World Cup and Cape Town 7s World Cup).

STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 28: during the match between South Africa and Madagascar. Day 1 of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2023. Leg 2 at Markotter Stadium on April 28, 2022 in Stellenbosch, South Africa. (Photo by Roger Sedres/Gallo Images)[/caption]

But prior to the Challenger, head coach Renfred Dazel had regrouped the squad for a 3 month preparation camp. This was with the support of the SARU. Overall, it paid off as the team accumulated time together which transferred into a united and cohesive team on the pitch.

“The benefits of training together over a period showed. But more important was the way the team reacted in match situations,” said Dazel. (SuperSport)