Young Guns Ready

The start of their journeys to make their Springbok Women’s Sevens debuts, at the HSBC SVNS World Championship, could not have been more different, but for Owami Mohuli and Jane Mulder, their destination was the same – the Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong.

Mohuli (19) and Mulder (20) will hold no fear or favour in Hong Kong on Friday, shared by a firm desire to deliver their best effort, knowing that a sound performance for their country could ease the way for their age-group peers and their future rugby journeys.

“We certainly are aware what we are playing for and what solid performances in this tournament could mean for the sevens programme and women’s rugby as a whole,” said Mulder as they prepare for a tough opening day against Australia and Canada, two very established competitors in the HSBC SVNS set-up.

“Although we are new players in the team, we share the same determination as the most experienced ones to do well this weekend.”

Mulder was born into rugby, so to speak, as the daughter of 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok centre Japie Mulder, and the impact of the game would not have gone unnoticed in her household.

KZN-raised Mohuli’s path with rugby crossed by chance, but now she will not trade the sport for anything else. Being on the verge of playing for her country further fuels the fire.

A wing in 15s, Mohuli played hockey, soccer and netball at school, and did athletics.

“I was offered a netball bursary by Free State University, but in my second year, discovered rugby and I have not stopped since,” said Mohuli.

“I played for the Free State U20s last year and that resulted into a call-up to the SA Rugby EPD camp for Under-19 players late last year.

“This season, I played for the Free State Women in the Pick n Pay Women’s Super League and was due to join the Under-20 camp, but that call-up changed to this opportunity.”

Mulder’s progress into rugby also started at provincial level, with the Golden Lions Women, and then the Junior Springbok Women, before her sevens call-up came in November last year, when the University of Pretoria student trained with the Springbok Women’s Sevens and was included in the ‘A’-side that contested the Dubai Sevens International Invitational tournament.

“Looking back at that tournament afterwards, I felt that I could have been more assertive in my ball-carrying instead of looking at options out wide all the time, so I think I can do that better this time around,” said Mulder.

“That said, we all have a role to play in the team and that comes first. It will be massive if we can deliver a solid result at the tournament because that could pave the way for playing in the series.”

Mohuli, who loves the contact part of rugby the most, said the all-action nature of sevens rugby speaks to her: “You have to be everywhere, at one ruck you could be scrumhalf, the next wing and then you clean a ruck again. That is great and I love that, as in fifteens as a wing, you are not that involved necessarily.”

A big fan of Nadine Roos, the third-year student admits disappointment that she will not share the same field as the injured national sevens captain, but Mohuli is still keen to learn from the SA Rugby Women’s Player of the Year.

“She might not be around this weekend, but we are here because of her and the rest of the team’s contributions during the qualifiers to Hong Kong. We owe it to her and the rest to be at our very best and use this opportunity,” she said.

Springbok Women’s Sevens pool schedule (SA times, all matches live on SuperSport)

Friday, 17 April

• 06h25 Australia
• 09h12 Canada

Saturday, 18 April

• 05h04 Great Britain