Has Springbok Women newbie penciled her name in World Cup squad?

OPINION: The road to the World Cup is neatly laid out for the Springbok Women’s team, with their matches confirmed and settled.

However, the team sheet is still very much incomplete.

Springbok Women assistant coach Franzel September was adamant ahead of the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup that “the squad list for the World Cup is still empty”.

Management has opted to send 28 players to the Rugby Africa Cup under the guidance of September and Bafana Nhleko, while another 20 players remained in the training camp in Stellenbosch with High Performance coach Swys de Bruin and assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt.

For De Bruin and Johannes-Haupt, it is a position-specific camp, with a focus on the Tests against Canada and the international friendlies against the Black Ferns XV.

For assistant coaches Bafana Nhleko and September, it is about giving meaningful game time to a few senior players and also developing emerging talent as they seek to prove themselves worthy of a World Cup spot.

Thus far, the women have not disappointed.

After two rounds of the Rugby Africa Cup, the Springbok Women look well on their way to securing a fourth crown, having beaten Uganda and Kenya. The team will take on Madagascar in the final round on Sunday, June 15.

There are a few players who have put their hands up for World Cup spots, and it would certainly be valuable to see how they perform against a team like Canada or the Black Ferns XV.

One player who has certainly been a standout is Patience Mokone.

The Bulls Daisies star, who was instrumental in the franchise’s campaign to secure a third consecutive Premier Women’s Division title, has shown that she is an incredible talent. She is a lethal finisher, and her fast feet caused havoc for any defence.

The 23-year-old wing made her debut against Uganda and scored a brace of tries during the 62-7 win. In Round Two, the speedster’s perfect run set up a crucial try for Lerato Makua in the 19-12 win over Kenya.

It has been an incredible year for the talented wing, who has represented the BlitzBoks Women in tournaments in Krakow in April and Los Angeles in May.

At club level, the star scored 13 tries – more than any other backline player in the Women’s Premier Division this Year.

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