“I Loved the Idea Immediately”

Barely four months ago, Aphiwe Ngwevu felt that her international rugby ambitions and playing career was going downhill fast – perhaps even over the cliff – despite earning 31 Test caps and scoring 13 tries in the green and gold.

Back then, during the 2026 Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 1, Ngwevu’s provincial side, the Border Ladies, had a torrid time on the field, losing all their league matches and finishing last on the log, something unheard of for one the leading teams over two decades of women’s rugby.

“I was really down, I was trying my best for my team, but we could just not get going,” the 28-year-old centre explained.

“There were several factors involved, but what frustrated me the most that as the senior player in the squad, I could not make the difference to make us win. I also feared that my chances to be called up for the Springboks Women again will fade away because of that.”

Despite playing in two Women’s Rugby World Cups (in 2022 and 2025) and named Player of the Match in half a dozen of her Test matches, doubt crept into her mind.

The phone call from SA Rugby’s headquarters was not the one she feared, but rather to confirm she is pretty much still in Springbok Women head coach Swys de Bruin’s plans.

In fact, as Ngwevu learned soon after during one of the alignment camps, she was to become a hybrid player and just like Andre Esterhuizen for the Springboks, was going to be used as a loose forward as well.

“I loved the idea immediately,” Ngwevu recalled with a smile.

“I always say I am a centre playing like a forward, so I was very keen on the idea, as I think this will add to me being valuable to the coaches as well.

“Which means I can still play for this team I gave so much of my life to, but that gave me so much back as well.”

When De Bruin and his brains trust decided to select an inexperienced and young side to represent South Africa at the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Kenya in May, Ngwevu saw her inclusion not as a demotion, but an opportunity to improve her mindset, conditioning and to showcase why she are so valuable to the squad.

She did that with aplomb and there was no uncertainty on who would be wearing the No 12 jersey against the USA at Ellis Park last weekend. Ngwevu had a very strong match, gaining over a 100 running metres with her crash ball entries, and she was effective on defence as well.

“Our game plan suited me so well, I almost felt it revolved around me,” she said.

“I love taking the ball up, hitting rucks and tackling opposing players and the way we played, I could do all of that. It was the best test match I have been involved in since I joined the team. In fact, this is the best team I have played with in all of my test matches.”

There is another reason why Ngwevu seems unstoppable on the short ball coming in from an angle – her son Luphiwe: “I play for him and when I start my runs to take the ball up, I think of him first. I want to make him proud.”

What is also extremely pleasing for Ngwevu is that, for the first time since she joined, there are four mothers in total in the squad.

“That is wonderful,” she said. “We all play for the same reason, to provide for our children, to make him or her proud and to show that we can be mothers and rugby players at the same time.”

Come this weekend and the second Test against the USA Eagles, the Ngqamakwe born hybrid player is adamant: “We showed what we can do at Ellis Park, especially in that first half, but we all know we can do better.

“We respect the USA, they are ranked above us on the world ranking after all. But we know we can get even better than last weekend when we recorded our biggest win over them. The belief in the team is real; we can really take Springbok Women to places they have never been.”

Kick-off at Loftus Versfeld is at 13h30 on Saturday.