Bok star wants 'Oom' to stay

INTERVIEW: It’s been just over a month since the Springbok Women made history by reaching their first-ever World Cup quarterfinal.

While the players are currently enjoying time off with family and friends, there are still a few loose ends to tie up – chief among them, the future of head coach Swys de Bruin.

De Bruin joined the Bok Women set-up in August 2024 and has since overseen some remarkable milestones. In under a year, the team broke into the world’s top ten and reached the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time.

Initially brought in as a performance coach, De Bruin stepped up to the head coach role during the tournament. His appointment was only meant to last until the end of the World Cup.

However, according to media reports, SA Rugby GM of High Performance, Dave Wessels, has confirmed that an agreement in principle has been reached for De Bruin to stay on through to the next World Cup in Australia.

Reports suggest the 65-year-old’s extended tenure will be finalised soon.

From a player’s point of view, flyhalf Libbie Janse van Rensburg says keeping De Bruin on board is a must.

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“I think when he first took on the role, he wasn’t too sure about the whole women’s rugby thing,” Janse van Rensburg told Rugby365.

“But I think we managed to convince him that he needs to stay with us, and we’re going to do such great things if he does.

“So yeah, hopefully that happens.”

The next Women’s Rugby World Cup will take place in Australia in 2029, and Janse van Rensburg – who featured at both the 2022 and 2025 tournaments – is already looking ahead.

“I’m actually already excited for us to start the next World Cup cycle.

“I want them to send us the calendar for the next four years so that I can see what it’s going to look like.

“We need to start prepping now already for that next one, because the growth has been so great.

“We’re on such a high – the momentum in women’s rugby is massive now across the world. So, I think the next one is going to be incredible.

“And playing in a country like Australia as well – I mean, they also have a rich rugby history.

“So, it’s going to be really exciting.”

Following the World Cup, SA Rugby has been working hard to create new avenues to grow the women’s game.

They launched the Betway Women’s Club Competition, and the U20 Women’s Tournament saw an increase in participating teams.

“There’s a lot more happening for women’s rugby. Hopefully, it isn’t just a temporary spike because of the high,” said Janse van Rensburg.

“Hopefully, this momentum will continue and strengthen the pipeline of players entering the national system. Many of us are getting older, and for some, the next World Cup might be their last.

“We need to ensure that we can bring in a lot of new talent over the next four-year cycle, so by that time they are ready to play in these massive games without being too starstruck.”