Booi leads experienced SA squad to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

Nolusindiso Booi, the most-capped Springbok Women’s player, will lead a strong South African squad containing 19 players out of the 32 with previous Women’s Rugby World Cup experience to the 2025 global showpiece which kicks off in England in a few weeks’ time.

Bok Women head coach Swys de Bruin’s squad was named at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday for the four-yearly tournament, where South Africa will face Brazil, Italy and France in Pool D. Booi, who captained the squad at the previous tournament in New Zealand in 2022, is also South Africa’s most experienced Test captain, having led the side in 23 Tests.

Babalwa Latsha, who captained the Bok Women in 14 Test matches as well as in the recent Black Ferns XV series, was named as vice-captain. Booi (2010, 2014, 2022) and Tayla Kinsey (2014, 2022) are the most experienced players in the squad, which boast a combined total of 689 Test caps.

Amongst the 19 forwards, eight will be experiencing a Women’s Rugby World Cup for the first time. They are Anathi Qolo (lock), who captained the side at the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar in June, as well as Luchell Hanekom (hooker), Xoliswa Khuzwayo (prop), Nombuyekezo Mdliki (prop), Danelle Lochner (lock) and Vainah Ubisi (lock), all of whom played for South Africa last year, while Faith Tshauke (flanker) made her Test debut in Madagascar a few months ago.

Four of the 13 backs will represent South Africa on this level for the first time: wings Maceala Samboya and Ayanda Malinga, flyhalf Mary Zulu and utility back Byrhandré Dolf are the newcomers in a backline stacked with players who have encountered the pressures of the Rugby World Cup before.

All 32 players selected for the Women’s Rugby World Cup featured either against Spain in April, the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup, the two Tests against Canada in July, or the two recent internationals against the Black Ferns XV, which was a telling factor in their final selection, according to De Bruin.

“We used 49 players during the season where we played six Test matches and four international friendlies, and I know we got the balance right,” said De Bruin. “There will always be unfortunate players not selected, but as a coaching staff we are happy that we got the group we wanted.”

De Bruin said what excites him most are the combinations they will work with: “I believe that will push us towards the play-offs as we have so many options for each opponent, and that will boost our abilities. This selection is a culmination of hard work and sacrifice for the players, and I want to congratulate them. We all know the journeys each one travelled and for most, it was not easy.”

The squad will assemble in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 12 August and depart for England on Thursday, 14 August. Their first match is against Brazil 10 days later.

Springbok Women 2025 Rugby World Cup squad:

Props:

Sanelisiwe Charlie (Bulls Daisies) – 26 caps, 10 points (2 tries) *

Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Golden Lions Women) – 8 caps, 0 points)

Yonela Ngxingolo (Bulls Daisies) – 35 caps, 15 points (3 tries) *

Babalwa Latsha (vice-captain, unattached) – 36 caps, 30 points (6 tries) *

Nombuyekezo Mdliki (Border Ladies) – 5 caps, 0 points

Hookers:

Micke Gunter (Leicester Tigers Women, England) – 13 caps, 5 points (1 try) *

Lindelwa Gwala (unattached) – 35 caps, 75 points (15 tries) *

Luchell Hanekom (DHL Western Province) – 9 caps, 0 points)

Locks:

Nolusindiso Booi (captain, DHL Western Province) – 52 caps, 5 points (1 try) *

Danelle Lochner (Harlequins Women) – 19 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

Nomsa Mokwai (DHL Western Province) –13 caps, 0 points

Anathi Qolo (Bulls Daisies) – 9 caps, 5 points (1 try)

Vainah Ubisi (Bulls Daisies) – 18 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

Utility and loose forwards:

Aseza Hele (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 28 caps, 65 points (13 tries) *

Catha Jacobs (unattached) – 22 caps, 5 points (1 try) *

Lerato Makua (Bulls Daisies) – 15 caps, 15 points (3 tries) *

Sinazo Mcatshulwa (unattached) – 38 caps, 55 points (11 tries) *

Sizophila Solontsi (Bulls Daisies) – 28 caps, 45 points (9 tries) *

Faith Tshauke (Bulls Daisies) – 3 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

Scrumhalves:

Unam Tose (Bulls Daisies) – 27 caps, 12 points (2 tries, 1 conversion) *

Tayla Kinsey (Sharks Women) – 40 caps, 53 points (3 tries, 16 conversions, 2 penalty goals) *

Flyhalves:

Libbie Janse van Rensburg (Bulls Daisies) – 27 caps, 209 points (12 tries, 55 conversions, 12 penalties, 1 drop goal) *

Mary Zulu (Sharks Women) – 15 caps, 40 points (20 conversions)

Centres:

Zintle Mpupha (Bulls Daisies) – 26 caps, 106 points (20 tries, 3 conversions) *

Aphiwe Ngwevu (Border Ladies) – 27 caps, 60 points (12 tries) *

Chumisa Qawe (Bulls Daisies) – 22 caps, 20 points (4 tries) *

Eloise Webb (Border Ladies) – 17 caps, 30 points (6 tries) *

Outside backs:

Jakkie Cilliers (Bulls Daisies) – 19 caps, 106 points (9 tries, 23 conversions, 5 penalty goals) *

Ayanda Malinga (Bulls Daisies) – 13 caps, 65 points (13 tries)

Maceala Samboya (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 4 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

Utility backs:

Byrhandré Dolf (Bulls Daisies) – 22 caps, 37 points (7 tries, 1 conversion)

Nadine Roos (unattached) – 18 caps, 35 points (5 tries, 5 conversions) *

* denotes previous RWC experience.

Pool D schedule (SA times):

Sunday 24 August

15h45: SA v Brazil (Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton)

Sunday 31 August

16h30: SA v Italy (York Community Stadium, York)

Sunday 7 September

17h45: SA v France (Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton)

The Rugby World Cup quarter-finals will be played on the weekend of 13/14 September, with the semi-finals on 19/20 September and the final on Saturday, 27 September.