Six uncapped starlets named as Springbok Women launch continental defence

Injuries to several established stars may have disrupted preparations for both the Springbok Women's team and the Springbok Women's Sevens squads. But the setbacks have also created a highly valuable opportunity for South Africa’s next generation of players to announce themselves on the international stage.

That opportunity begins in earnest this weekend in Nairobi, where the Springbok Women launch the defence of their Rugby Africa Women’s Cup title against Madagascar at the RFUEA Grounds. While South Africa remain overwhelming favourites against the Malagasy side, assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt made it clear the tournament is about far more than simply retaining continental silverware.

With 12 Test matches scheduled for the 2026 calendar year, the management team is using the competition to expose emerging talent to international rugby while building crucial squad depth ahead of a demanding season. That developmental approach is reflected in a matchday squad featuring six uncapped players, including Western Province number eight Logan Welman, who will make her Test debut in the starting lineup.

Props Thandile Mazwi and Ntsako Mbombi are among the newcomers expected to provide significant impact off the bench, while backs Insaaf Levy, Naima Hlatshwayo, and Thami Yeko are also poised for their first taste of Test rugby. Johannes-Haupt believes the increasing number of players graduating from South Africa’s development structures into the senior national setup is definitive proof that the women’s pathway system is beginning to deliver meaningful results.

“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.

Johannes-Haupt noted that the coaching staff want to retain the Springbok Women’s fierce physical identity while also allowing their exciting young backs more freedom to attack.

“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,” she explained. “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 players is scrum-half Anacadia Minnaar, who will complete a remarkable return to Test rugby seven years after her international debut.

“This is huge for me to be back — it has been seven long years with a lot of things happening in between,” said Minnaar, whose career was heavily interrupted by injuries and motherhood.

The theme of rebuilding through adversity also extends to the Springbok Women’s Sevens setup ahead of the next leg of the SVNS World Championship in Spain. Coach Cecil Afrika has been forced to deal with a lengthy injury list that includes Nadine Roos, Liske Lategan, and Asisipho Plaatjies — whose devastating Achilles injury in Hong Kong prematurely ended her season.

However, those absences have opened the door for rising talents such as Vianca Boer and Patience Mokone to stake their claims on the global circuit.

For both Springbok squads, the coming weeks are now about far more than mere results — they are about discovering whether South Africa’s next generation is truly ready for the international stage.

Springbok Women's team to face Madagascar in Nairobi:

15 Chuma Qawe, 14 Nomawethu Mabenge, 13 Jakkie Cilliers, 12 Aphiwe Ngwevu, 11 Alichia Arries, 10 Mary Zulu, 9 Anacadia Minnaar, 8 Logan Welman, 7 Sinelitha Noxeke, 6 Faith Tshauke, 5 Anathi Qolo, 4 Nomsa Mokwai, 3 Nombuyekezo Mdliki, 2 Anushka Groenewald, 1 Xoliswa Khuzwayo.

Replacements: 16 Roseline Botes, 17 Yonela Ngxingolo, 18 Thandile Mazwi, 19 Nobuhle Mjwara, 20 Ntsako Mbombi, 21 Insaaf Levy, 22 Naima Hlatshwayo, 23 Thami Yeko.