Staff Reporter.
Ayanda Malinga will make a return to Test rugby for the first time since 2022 after being named on the left wing for the Springbok Women’s opening match of WXV 2 against Japan at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Friday.
The WXV 2 is a six-team second tier international competition. The 2024 edition will be hosted in Cape Town for the second time, with matches being played across the weekends of 27 September, 5 and 12 October.
WXV 2 will consist of six teams – The Springbok Women (South Africa), Japan, Australia, Italy, Scotland and Wales – playing in a cross-pool format.
The sixth-placed regional position in the WXV 2 competition at the end of each season will be relegated to WXV 3. WXV 1 will be hosted in Canada and WXV 3 will return to Dubai.
Malinga last played test rugby for her country in August 2022 when she scored a brace against Spain at Emirates Airline Park before continuing her international career with the Springbok Women’s Sevens squad, playing at the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town and HSBC SVNS in 2023/24.
Performance coach Swys de Bruin made two changes to the starting team that outplayed Spain last Thursday at the same venue, with Malinga coming in for the injured Shaunique Hess, and experienced prop Babalwa Latsha swopping jerseys with Azisa Mkiva, who will start on the bench this time around.
De Bruin also named Micke Gunter, Anathi Qolo and Unam Tose on a bench featuring six forwards, with Tose and Zintle Mpupha the only backs among the replacements.
According to De Bruin, their tactics for the match and the type of opposition expected from Japan played a role in team selection, but he said there is a wider objective as well.
The mindset is around preparing for the Rugby World Cup next year, so these are all building blocks towards that,” said De Bruin.
“Having said that, we want to do really well in this tournament and improve our world ranking. All three our opponents are ranked higher than we are, so it will be a nice challenge. For this game against Japan, we put certain plans in place, but the bottom line is that we need a result as well.”
They expect a fast-paced game from Japan, said De Bruin: “Japan play a fast game, they apply a lot of pressure defensively and chop your legs, so we need to overcome that. We will have to suffocate them and make sure we control the tempo and territory.”
De Bruin said there is a positive mindset among the coaching staff and the players.
“The coaches are very keen to get going and have a nervous excitement of what is to come,” he said. “We have played against the Barbarians and Spain which delivered positive results, but now is the time to shine for us.”
De Bruin feels that the home support and knowledge of the conditions will benefit South Africa: “The fact that we have played at the venue twice now will help, especially with the wind. Against Spain it was really strong and swirling and our players will be able to cope with that if it happens again. The players also loved the crowds who came in and responded well to that support.”
The match will kick off WXV2 on Friday, with two more matches to be played at the DHL Stadium on Saturday, when Australia take on Wales at 12h30 before Italy play Scotland at 15h00.
South Africa: 15 Libbie Janse van Rensburg, 14 Jakkie Cilliers, 13 Eloise Webb, 12 Chumisa Qawe, 11 Ayanda Malinga, 10 Nadine Roos, 9 Tayla Kinsey, 8 Aseza Hele, 7 Sinazo Mcatshulwa, 6 Sizophila Solontsi, 5 Vainah Ubisi, 4 Nolusindiso Booi, 3 Babalwa Latsha, 2 Lindelwa Gwala, 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie.
Replacements: 16 Micke Gunter, 17 Yonela Ngxingolo, 18 Azisa Mkiva, 19 Danelle Lochner, 20 Catha Jacobs, 21 Anathi Qolo, 22 Unam Tose, 23 Zintle Mpupha.