From Exile to Twickenham: The Springbok Women’s Unbreakable Rise
By: Samela Kume
In June 2025, the Springbok Women clinched their fourth Rugby Africa Women’s Cup title, sealing their place as Africa’s undisputed champions. Their final match, a commanding 61–17 win over hosts Madagascar in Antananarivo, capped an unbeaten run that included victories over Uganda (62–7) and Kenya (19–12). It’s clear to see that South Africa is ready for the world stage.
In a country where rugby has long been synonymous with the men’s Springboks, these women are forging their own identity — one built on an unshakeable belief in their right to compete. Their success has inspired a new generation of girls from townships, rural provinces, and elite schools alike, all of whom are beginning to see rugby not as a boys’ game, but as their game too.
PREPARATION AND GROWING PAINS
Preparation for the World Cup hasn’t been without its growing pains. In recent warm-up tests against Canada, a top-tier opponent, the Springbok Women suffered tough defeats, including a 33–5 result in Gqeberha. While the scoreboard stung, the experience proved invaluable.
“Every match teaches us something,” says head coach Louis Koen. “These tests showed us where we need to sharpen our game. That kind of pressure is what we’ll face in England, it’s the best kind of preparation.”
Rather than deflating morale, these setbacks have hardened resolve. The squad has embraced the lessons, knowing that the road to Twickenham is paved with bruises and breakthroughs alike.
The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup runs from 22 August to 27 September across eight cities in England. The tournament will culminate in a historic final at Twickenham Stadium, the largest venue ever used for a women’s rugby final.
For South Africa, this marks their fifth World Cup appearance since debuting in 2006. But many consider this year’s campaign their most meaningful yet, not just in terms of results, but in terms of representation.
MORE THAN RUGBY
Players like Babalwa Latsha, the first South African woman to sign a professional contract abroad, Lusanda Dumke, and Aseza Hele are trailblazers changing the landscape of women’s sport in South Africa.
“We don’t want sympathy. We want opportunity,” Latsha said earlier this year. “And we’re proving what we can do with it.”
As England prepares to host the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, one team’s journey from the wilderness years to the pinnacle of international rugby stands as a testament to the power of second chances.
Between 2014 and 2018, the Springbok Women were absent from the international stage. Not a single test match was played. While the global women’s rugby landscape evolved rapidly, South Africa’s women trained in silence, unsure if the green and gold jersey would ever be theirs to wear again.
That silence ended in late 2018 with a tour to the United Kingdom. What followed was one of the most remarkable comeback stories in SA sport. Now, as the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup kicks off on 22 August, the Springbok Women arrive not as underdogs, but as determined competitors carrying the hopes of a nation still learning to embrace its daughters of the game.
The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup begins on 22 August and runs until 27 September, with the final held at Twickenham Stadium. Sixteen teams from around the world will compete, including five from Africa, the highest number in tournament history.
The Springbok Women’s story transcends the game. It reflects broader shifts in a South Africa still wrestling with questions of equity, gender, access, and belonging. Their four-year exile from test rugby (2014–2018) is an example of what happens when institutions fail to invest in potential.
In a country where rugby is stitched into the national identity, the women’s team still plays in the shadows of their male counterparts. But that shadow is receding. With each try scored, each tackle made, and each young girl who dares to dream, the women’s team is expanding the boundaries of possibility.
Whether or not they make it to the final at Twickenham, their journey is already a victory. They’ve brought women’s rugby into the national conversation. They’ve rewritten the script on what South African sport can look like. And they’ve proven, beyond question, that the green and gold belongs to them too.