Important First Step for Springbok Women

The Springbok Women will leave nothing to chance and are determined to start the defence of their Rugby Africa Women’s Cup title on the strongest possible foot when they play Madagascar in the first round at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday.

That is the view of Springbok Women assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt, who said the opening Test of the year will lay an important marker for their season, with Saturday’s encounter the first of 12 internationals planned for the year.

“It is such an exciting time for the Springbok Women and our women’s game, and we want to make the best of these opportunities,” said Johannes-Haupt.

“The three Tests in the Africa Cup allow us to introduce new players to the rigours of Test rugby, while also rewarding those who excelled in our pathways back home, like the Pick n Pay Women’s Super League.”

The squad named for the opening match will introduce six new players to the demands of Test rugby, with DHL Western Province No 8, Logan Welman the only uncapped player in the starting team, which will be captained by Anathi Qolo for a fourth time in her career.

Thandile Mazwi (prop) and Ntsako Mbombi (flanker) will be called upon to boost the pack during the match, while at the back, Insaaf Levy, Naima Hlatshwayo and Thami Yeko, are all expected to come off the bench for a first Test cap.

Johannes-Haupt, a former Junior Springbok Women head coach, was very pleased with the number of younger players included on this trip, suggesting the strong pathway route to national honours are bearing fruit.

“It is great to see how many players that came through the Youth Training Centres, the national age group weeks and our Under-20s are now making the step-up into the senior ranks,” she said.

“Those who excelled in the Super League were also rewarded with call-ups and I expect strong performances from them.”

Johannes-Haupt and fellow assistant coach, Franzel September, fine-tuned their preparations with two main goals – to continue with the established Springbok Women blueprint of a very strong first phase foundation, but also giving the backline players the opportunity to express themselves on this platform.

“We did prepare for Madagascar in particular, but we also want our identity as a team to be moulded, as this is only the first of many big games we will play this year,” she said.

“Madagascar traditionally love moving the ball around and play side to side in a fast offload game, whereas we will be looking to play at our pace and use our set piece to dominate. That said, we want our backs to play as well, there are many exciting players that can do wonders with ball in hand.”

One of those, Anacadia Minnaar (scrumhalf), will make a remarkable return to Test rugby, seven years after her debut against Scotland in Cape Town in 2019.

Back then, Minnaar played two Tests at flyhalf at age 19 and looked set for a long spell in international rugby. She returned post COVID to play for the Springbok Women’s Sevens squad in the HSBC SVNS Series in 2022, the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Cup, and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in England, but a series facial injury in England ruled her out of the game for months.

In that time, she also gave birth to her son, before returning to the game in 2024, first in club rugby for the Colesburg Queens and then in the erstwhile Women’s Premier Division for the Free State Women.

In 2025, the Middelburg resident returned to her roots, representing the EP Queens, now as a scrumhalf, and earlier this year she excelled in the 2026 Pick n Pay Women’s Super League, prompting a national call-up.

“This is huge for me to be back, it has been seven long years with a lot if things happening in between,” Minnaar said with a huge smile.

“It would not have been possible without the support of my family, who kept encouraging me when I was down and this Test match will also be for them.

“I am equally at ease playing scrumhalf or flyhalf and I slotted in well with the rest of the squad since my call-up a couple of months back. For now, the focus will be to contribute to the team effort and what we worked on in training,” she added.

Springbok Women team to face Madagascar in Nairobi:

15 Chuma Qawe (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 14 caps, 2 points (1 conversion)

14 Nomawethu Mabenge (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 21 caps, 80 points (16 tries)

13 Jakkie Cilliers (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 21 caps, 103 points (9 tries, 23 conversions, 4 penalty goals)

12 Aphiwe Ngwevu (Border Ladies) – 30 caps, 70 points (14 tries)

11 Alichia Arries (DHL Western Province) – 2 caps, 0 points

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

9 Anacadia Minnaar (EP Queens) – 3 caps, 3 points (1 penalty goal)

8 Logan Welman (DHL Western Province) – uncapped

7 Sinelitha Noxeke (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 2 caps, 0 points

6 Faith Tshauke (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 4 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

5 Anathi Qolo (captain, Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 11 caps, 5 points (1 try)

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

3 Nombuyekezo Mdliki (Border Ladies) – 9 caps, 0 points

2 Anushka Groenewald (DHL Western Province) – 3 caps, 0 points

1 Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Golden Lions Women) – 9 caps, 0 points

Replacements:

16 Roseline Botes (DHL Western Province) – 24 caps, 8 tries (40 points)

17 Yonela Ngxingolo (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – 39 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

18 Thandile Mazwi (DHL Western Province) – uncapped

19 Nobuhle Mjwara (Sharks Women) – 3 caps, 5 points (1 try)

20 Ntsako Mbombi (Golden Lions Women) – uncapped

21 Insaaf Levy (DHL Western Province) – uncapped

22 Naima Hlatshwayo (Isuzu Bulls Daisies) – uncapped

23 Thami Yeko (EP Queens) – uncapped

Head-to-Head: Springbok Women vs Madagascar

13/08/2019: Won 73-0, Brakpan

28/05/2023: Won 79-8, Antananarivo

12/05/2024: Won 46-17, Antananarivo

15/06/2025: Won 61-17, Antananarivo

Match information: Springbok Women v Madagascar

Date: Saturday, 23 May 2026

Venue: RFUEA Grounds, Nairobi

Kick-off: 13h00 (SA time)

Referee: Precious Pazani (Zimbabwe)

Broadcast: Rugby Africa Facebook and RugbyPass TV