Eighteen of the best young women rugby players in the country assembled in Stellenbosch on Monday for a 10-day Under-20 alignment camp that will not only expose the players to highly skilled coaching in the national set-up, but also put steps into place for the Junior Springbok Women’s international matches against the USA U20s in July.
The group will be coached in an Academy based set-up, with various SA Rugby Mobi-Unit coaches involved with the squad during this camp.
A number of the invited players have already played senior rugby, including EP Queens flyhalf Julene Haas and Sanlam Boland Dames flyer Tereske Kabuika, who finished the Pick n Pay Women’s Super League with six tries to her name.
Stellenbosch University player Sesethu Dumke is also amongst a group of attendees who participated in this year’s FNB Varsity Cup for Women.
The group also include players from last year’s South African U18 Girls squad that played two internationals against the Netherlands in December, and an U19 squad that assembled at the same time.
Louis Koen, Senior Talent Manager in SA Rugby’s High-Performance Department, indicated in December that players from these two groups will progress into the Junior Springbok Women squad in 2026 and this assembly puts action to those words.
SA U20 women’s training squad: Alutha Ngcezula, Siphumelele Mdlalose (both Golden Lions), Itumeleng Malala, Erin Prins (both Blue Bulls), Julene Haas, Micayle Hendricks, Lukhanye Lolo (all Eastern Province), Hayley Hardneck, Tereske Kabuika, Amoray Fortuin (all Boland), Hlekane Baloyi (Sharks), Boikarabelo Bothane (Limpopo Blue Bulls), Sesethu Dumke, Palesa Matee, Tamlynn Paulse (all Western Province), Angel Jaar, Nonkosi Ngema (both Griquas), Ahaotu Ngozi (Free State).
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The French domestic rugby competition is called the Top 14.