By Estea Rademeyer, Sports Journalist.
Photo Credit: All Blacks.
The Springbok Women will face one of the biggest tests in their history on Saturday when they meet the Black Ferns at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
The 1.30pm kick off forms part of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry double header, with the Springboks facing New Zealand’s men later in the afternoon. For the women’s teams, it will be a landmark occasion. It is the first time the Black Ferns will play a Test in South Africa.
The rivalry has changed considerably since the teams first met at the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
That meeting in Guildford was heavily one sided. New Zealand, already three-time world champions, won 55- 3, with the Black Ferns leading 38- 0 at half time. South Africa were still building a national programme after forming the team in 2004 and were operating at a very different level to their opponents.
Fifteen years later, the gap had narrowed.
The sides met again in the quarter finals of the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England, with the Springbok Women reaching the last eight for the first time. South Africa produced an outstanding first half, with Babalwa Latsha and Aphiwe Ngwevu scoring tries as they went into the break level at 10 10.
The Black Ferns then showed their experience, scoring three tries in the opening seven minutes of the second half before eventually winning 46- 17.
Latsha will lead South Africa again on Saturday and is one of six forwards who started that quarter final. Vainah Ubisi and Catha Jacobs, who were on the bench in England, move into the starting side this time.
Sanelisiwe Charlie and Lindelwa Gwala join Latsha in the front row, with Ubisi partnering Danelle Locher in the second row. Jacobs will line up alongside Sizo Solontsi and Aseza Hele in the loose forwards.
There are also changes behind the scrum. Unam Tose starts at scrumhalf in place of the injured Nadine Roos, while Alichia Arries comes into the starting side on the wing.
The coaching staff has also changed. Laurian Johannes Haupt and Franzel September will take charge as co head coaches following Swys de Bruin’s decision to step down.
Johannes Haupt, who played against New Zealand in that first meeting in 2010, believes the squad has greater depth than the one that faced the Black Ferns last year. “We have managed to build some extra depth,” she said, pointing to the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and recent series against the USA and Fiji.
The Springbok Women aren’t planning to change their identity because of the opposition. “We have certain characteristics as Springbok Women and that include being very physical in our first phase, so there is no reason to move away from that,” Johannes Haupt said.
New Zealand will arrive with plenty of experience but have made an interesting change to their leadership group.
Georgia Ponsonby will make her first appearance as co captain and starts at the back of the scrum, while Hannah King comes into the starting side at first five eighth. Ruahei Demant, the other co captain, moves to the bench.
Black Ferns coach Whitney Hansen said the changes are designed to develop the team’s leadership depth, with Demant still expected to play an important role during the match.
For South Africa, the challenge will be to reproduce the physicality and discipline that made the opening half of last year’s quarter final so competitive, while finding a way to sustain it for 80 minutes.
The setting will be different too.
Instead of an English stadium packed with supporters watching a World Cup quarter final, the Springbok Women will walk out at FNB Stadium in front of a home crowd, with the Black Ferns appearing in South Africa for the first time.
The result will matter, but so will the occasion. For a team that lost 55 3 when this rivalry began, Saturday’s meeting is another measure of just how far the Springbok Women have come.
Saturday 5 September, kick-off 1.30 PM
FNB Stadium, Soweto, Johannesburg
TEAMS
SPRINGBOK WOMEN – 15 Byrhandré Dolf, 14 Alichia Arries, 13 Zintle Mpupha, 12 Aphiwe Ngwevu, 11 Ayanda Malinga, 10 Libbie Janse van Rensburg, 9 Unam Tose, 8 Aseza Hele, 7 Catha Jacobs, 6 Sizophila Solontsi, 5 Danelle Lochner, 4 Vainah Ubisi, 3 Babalwa Latsha (c), 2 Lindelwa Gwala, 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie.
Bench: 16 Anushka Groenewald, 17 Yonela Ngxingolo, 18 Nombuyekezo Mdliki, 19 Nomsa Mokwai, 20 Shiniqwa Lamprecht, 21 Logan Welman, 22 Anacadia Minnaar, 23 Maceala Samboya.
BLACK FERNS – 15 Braxton Sorensen-McGee, 14 Mererangi Paul, 13 Amy Du Plessis, 12 Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt, 11 Ayesha Leti-I’iga, 10 Hannah King, 9 Maia Joseph, 8 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, 7 Elinor-Plum King, 6 Mia Anderson, 5 Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu, 4 Maiakawanakaulani Roos, 3 Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu, 2 Georgia Ponsonby (c), 1 Chryss Viliko.
Bench: 16 Atlanta Lolohea, 17 Maddison Robinson, 18 Santo Taumata, 19 Laura Bayfield, 20 Amarante Sititi, 21 Tara Turner, 22 Ruahei Demant, 23 Justine McGregor.