Springbok Women return to action as Super League arrives
PREVIEW, ROUND ONE: It’s Valentine’s Day on Saturday, and for South Africa, it’s the perfect day to reignite your love for the women’s game and start falling for it… hard.
This weekend, South Africa’s top women’s provincial teams return to action in the new Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 1.
The competition will see the eight leading teams in the country face each other in a single round of matches, with a Grand Finale scheduled for Saturday, April 4.
To add to the tournament, rugby fans will get the opportunity to see some of the Springbok Women – Libbie Janse van Rensburg, Zintle Mpupha, Aseza Hele and Mary Zulu, to name a few – in action following their record-breaking performances in England last year.
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Bulls Daisies are the undisputed champions of the local provincial scene, having won the title three times in a row, including in 2025, a season that yielded 289 tries in 29 matches played all across the country.
The Daisies will play their home matches at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, while the Boland Dames (Boland Park, Wellington), EP Queens (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha) and Free State Women (Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein) all opted for their provincial headquarters as the home base for their teams. The Sharks Women will also make a couple of appearances at King’s Park in Durban.
The Bulls Daisies, who won the Women’s Premier Division in 2023, 2024 and 2025, travel to East London’s Police Park for their opening match against the Border Ladies.
The Golden Lions Women host the EP Queens at Alberton Rugby Club.
Western Province will take on the Sharks Women at City Park in Cape Town, while the Boland Dames will be boosted by free entrance at their Boland Stadium headquarters for their match against the visiting Free State Women.
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“The Cheetahs are going to come with a hunger because we hurt them badly last year in their own backyard,” Boland head coach Thomas Chowles told Rugby365.
“[Cheetahs head coach Aschin Klein] got a few players in from the Boland. They have two of our players, one of our tight five and a backline player that he’s recruited from us.
“So I kind of think they’re going to try and take us on physically
“But we never get bullied physically, so it’s going to be a big battle.
“We’re just going to play our normal game and impose our game plan.”
Former Springbok Women’s Sevens captain Mathrin Simmers will be amongst the Boland assistant coaches, while head coach Chowles’ squad has also been boosted by the addition of Eloise Webb, who joined from Border.
Familiar faces, new roles
There will be some nerves amongst the coaches, where a couple of former players will be seen along the touchlines, including former Springbok flyer Jongi Nokwe, who has been appointed head coach of WP.
Nokwe, who coached the inaugural SA U18 Girls team late last year, named nine Springbok Women in his matchday squad, including Sinazo Mcatshulwa, who played in France last season.
Bulls Daisies will have an all-female coaching team for the first time in their history as Zenay Jordaan and Bongiwe Nhleko take the reins.
Timmy Goodwin will also be able to call on some international experience in his Golden Lions Women squad as Catha Jacobs, the former Saracens and Leicester Tigers Women player, was revealed as the Joburgers’ latest signing last week, as well as Kirsten Eastes, who has played for the Springbok Women’s Sevens team.
Teams and predictions below…
Golden Lions Women v EP Queens
(Alberton Rugby Club, Alberton – Kick-off: 13.00; 11.00 GMT)
Prediction:
Rugby365: Golden Lions by 10 points
Teams:
Golden Lions: 15 Siphumelele Mdlalose, 14 Elmarie Vusieka, 13 Provia Mashian, 12 Masingita Simango, 11 Sarah Mokwebo, 10 Nthabiseng Ncalane, 9 Rumandi Potgieter (captain), 8 Aliyah Tchogna-Njamen, 7 Catha Jacobs, 6 Sinalo Honono, 5 Ntsako Mbombi, 4 Alutha Ngcezula, 3 Sharon Baloyi, 2 Kamogelo Thloloe, 1 Xoliswa Khuzwayo.
Replacements: Phophi Budzwa, Nikitha Dlabane, Noluthando Khumalo, Sindiswa Ngwenya, Aratha Thomo, Gabriella Terblance, Kristen Cox, Siyonela Macamba.
EP Queen: TBC
Referee: Giana Viljoen
Western Province v Sharks Women
(City Park, Athlone – Kick-off: 13.00; 11.00 GMT)
Prediction:
Rugby365: WP by 7 points
Teams:
Western Province: 15 Donelle Snyders, 14 Alichia Arries, 13 Shaunique Hess, 12 Megan Kannemeyer, 11 Voice Ndou, 10 Elme Kruger, 9 Alicia Willemse, 8 Logan Welman, 7 Sinazo Mcatshulwa (captain), 5 Nomsa Mokwai, 4 Zandiswa Xozwa, 3 Thandile Mazwi, 2 Luchell Hanekom, 1 Nomkhitha Chuba.
Replacements: 16 Roseline Botes, 17 Anuschka Ekron, 18 Anelisa Ndamase, 19 Arzydia Komar, 20 Anushka Groenewald, 21 Insaaf Levy, 22 Ronecia Gordon, 23 Doney Filies.
Sharks Women: 15 Mary Zulu, 14 Kwanele Zungu, 13 Sibongakonke Zuma, 12 Mbali Bukhosini, 11 Owami Zikhali, 10 Tayla Kinsey (captain), 9 Snethemba Mzimela, 8 Megan Comley, 7 Nobuhle Mjwara, 6 Micky Kapa, 5 Setty Dlamini, 4 Avela Gwala, 3 Sinenhlanhla Cebekhulu, 2 Lindelwa Gwala, 1 Vanessa Holmes.
Replacements: 16 Sinenhlanhla Luthuli, 17 Sinothile Bhengu, 18 Amanda Ndlovu, 19 Ahlume Bentswana, 20 Nomonde Mbanjwa, 21 Xoliswa Mbatha, 22 Sisanda Ndlela, 23 Tiarisha Maritz, 24 Philisile Dlamini, 25 Anesipho Malgas
Referee: Chante Olivier
Border Ladies v Bulls Daisies
(Police Park, East London – Kick-off: 13.00; 11.00 GMT)
Prediction:
Rugby365: Bulls Daisies by 20 points
Teams:
Border Ladies: 15 Zintle Holofela, 14 Lilitha Vakalisa, 13 Unathi Mali, 12 Aphiwe Ngwevu, 11 Sinenhlanhla Shozi, 10 Khanya Ketani, 9 Sindisiwe Mbonja, 8 Aviwe Basana, 7 Emihle Mayitshe, 6 Zahara Makhomazi, 5 Zethu Gcaza, 4 Zezethu Nzame, 3 Nombuyekezo Mdliki, 2 Owethu Nayiphi, 1 Chuma Delubom.
Replacements: 16 Sinathi Mzamo, 17 Koni Deda, 18 Angel Ovayo Siyali, 19 Bohile Dinge, 20 Asiphe Mrwegana, 21 Ngatyiswa Lufutha, 22 Sesethu Mbodli, 23 Zintle Nini
Bulls Daisies: 15 Chuma Qawe, 14 Shaunique Alexander, 13 Jakkie Cilliers, 12 Zintle Mpupha, 11 Thobile Mzizaswe, 10 Libbie Janse van Rensburg, 9 Unam Tose, 8 Sophy Mashapa, 7 Sinelitha Noxeke, 6 Sizophila Solontsi, 5 Anathi Qolo (captain), 4 Vainah Ubisi, 3 Azisa Mkiva, 2 Xolelwa Siliza, 1 Yonela Ngxingolo.
Replacements: 16 Sanelisiwe Charlie, 17 Doreen Mkhabele, 18 Lebogang Ralebona, 19 Dineo Nahlovu, 20 Ziyanda Ngohlekana, 21 Camelitha Malone, 22 Yandisa Nobanda, 23 Robyn Strydom.
Referee: Siyanda Pikoli
Boland Dames v Free State Women
(Boland Stadium, Wellington – Kick-off 15.00; 13.00 GMT)
Prediction:
Rugby365: Boland by 15 points
Teams:
Boland Dames: 15 Chloe Adams, 14 Arthea King, 13 Veroeshka Grain, 12 Rufaru Tagariro, 11 Tereska Kabuika, 10 Zinthle Nonkasana, 9 Felecia Jacobs, 8 Aseza Hele, 7 Ropa Madya, 6 Buthle Sonamzi, 5 Thandi Masuku, 4 Mihali Mgweba, 3 Onaka Jita, 2 Maxine Valentine, 1 Yola Lumko.
Replacements: 16 Keisha Stuurman, 17 Zena Swart, 18 Nitro-Ncediswa Mahijana, 19 Nomphumelelo Mathe, 20 TJ-Funeka Ngxowa, 21 Ayaka Soga, 22 Asmerelda Davis. 23 Sinalo Ziqwayi
Free State Women: 15 Anelca Hess, 14 Owami Mohuli, 13 Nomfundo Pampiri, 12 Olerato Sephaka, 11 Sikholiwe “Sne” Mdletshe, 10 Juanine Jacobs, 9 Monique Reens, 8 Mekyla-Chante Bennett, 7 Bernice Strydom, 6 Neidine Solomons, 5 Naadiah Motlomelo, 4 Marlene Adams, 3 Anita Tom, 2 Yanga Ndabeni, 1 Kamohelo Makoele (captain).
Replacements: 16 Phemelo Radikeledi, 17 Nellie Skosana, 18 Goitseone Fox Nche, 19 Bontle Moroke, 20 Afika Mbengo, 21 Vuyelwa Mosala, 22 Shannon Pieterse, 23 Aisha Camara
Referee: Angie Bezuidenhout
*Additional source: SA Rugby
