The Springboks Women’s sole focus for the past month has all been on preparation for next month’s Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Match-day squads have been rotated to give everyone a fair run whilst several players have returned from injury, and positional switches have been a regular occurrence.
But with only Saturday’s clash against the Black Ferns XV at Athlone Stadium remaining before the Boks leave for England, assistant coach Franzel September has changed the mindset with the emphasis placed on getting the “W”.
“We need to get onto the plane knowing that we have all our ducks in a row and our plans tried and tested,” said September.
“To be fair, most of those are going really well and the progress in our last three matches is well documented, but what we did not get was a win. And that will be a very important boost for us.”
September and fellow assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt put the Boks through their paces at UCT on Tuesday, reinforcing the need for a solid set piece, while prioritising efficient cleaning out at the breakdown.
The home team were excellent at both scrum time and in the line-outs in last Saturday’s first clash, which allowed the famed Bok forwards to get the rolling maul rumbling along, resulting in powerful No Aseza Hele dotting down for two tries.
Attacking the wider channels will be key as the #BokWomen look to finish their #RugbyWorldCup preparation on a high – more here: https://t.co/NXHeaTXTer 🙌#MakeItCount #PlusOne pic.twitter.com/5PCFgTvuYc
— SA Women’s Rugby (@WomenBoks) July 29, 2025
Johannes-Haupt was adamant that the Boks would continue “playing to our strengths” in regards to utilising their powerful forward pack, but September would like to see a more varied approach on Saturday.
“It is good to know that our set piece functions well, but we want to also try alternatives,” he said.
“We all know that our pack is a force in the game, but on Saturday we also want to include our backs in the gameplan, especially our wings, who are proven finishers. We are not going away from our traditional strengths, but will rather look to expand our attacking options as well.
Nadine Roos: “We created so many chances, but sadly our finishing let us down on the day” – more here: https://t.co/plEiSKaKUO 💪#MakeItCount #PlusOne pic.twitter.com/ODn3XLK9xA
— SA Women’s Rugby (@WomenBoks) July 28, 2025
“After the two Canada Tests, the Black Ferns XV showed us good pictures and we are happy with our progress and preparation for the World Cup, but now we need to close this out with a win.”
“Yes, it’s leka to be back at Athlone. The players also enjoy it,” September said.
“So, the players have one more opportunity, at home, to show why they deserve support and encouragement come England next month. The crowd last week was great and to have another opportunity to have a go at the Black Ferns and to play in front of true fans is an opportunity we cannot let slip.”
