VIDEO: Multi-tasking Potgieter eyes Springbok Women comeback
EXCLUSIVE: She might be small in stature, but scrumhalf Rumandi Potgieter’s influence on and off the field continues to grow as she targets a return to the Springbok Women setup.
Potgieter plies her trade at the Golden Lions and has been an incredible asset for the Gauteng side.
She captained the team during the Pick n Pay Women’s Super League campaign and helped them secure their first win over Border Ladies, as well as an away victory against Sharks Women.
Easily recognisable with her blonde locks, Potgieter commands the pack and orchestrates play from scrumhalf, while also playing a significant role off the field as the Golden Lions’ social media manager.
The 28-year-old previously played for the Bulls Daisies. She was one of 35 players who became the first female players to be professionally contracted by the Pretoria franchise in 2023. She later moved to the Lions, where players are not on full professional deals.
Despite those challenges, Potgieter, who is a master’s graduate in international law, has successfully balanced multiple roles, adding coaching to her growing list of responsibilities.
Potgieter was one of nine former Springbok Women players invited to SA Rugby’s new Women Coaches’ Transitioning Workshop in February.
This key initiative aims to narrow the gender gap in top-level coaching and also serves as a formal prerequisite for nomination to the prestigious World Rugby Level 3 Course.
She was identified through provincial nominations and her performance as a coach in domestic competitions and Elite Player Development (EPD) camps.
Speaking to Rugby365, Potgieter, who is already a World Rugby Level 2 accredited coach, said the experience has been transformative.
“Life-changing,” she said.
“The first invitation I got to the EPD camps, I was kind of like, is this them now telling me my playing career is over? So I was trying to figure it out – what does this mean? And I said to myself, it is an opportunity. So don’t overthink it.
“Don’t try to connect your own dots. Just go and see what it’s about, see how you experience it.
“And I went, and after the first day was done, I phoned back home and said, ‘We might have a problem – I think I’m in love with this.’”
Potgieter added: “I’ve rubbed shoulders with big names and really supportive and great people in the coaching industry. In a way, I do think that it’s changed the way I see the game.
“It’s really helped me a lot, and it’s really been filling my cup. It’s an amazing journey.”
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Although coaching is something she has taken to very well, the 28-year-old is still eager to add to her Springbok Test caps.
Potgieter played at the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and was part of the setup at the Rugby Africa Cup in 2024.
However, she was not selected for the 2025 global showpiece in England, where the Springbok Women secured their first-ever quarterfinal berth.
“That is the big objective of this year – getting back into that green and gold,” Potgieter admitted.
“I think I dream about it every night, I write about it – everything kind of revolves around it. And for the people around me, the people that support me and that I work with, all of them are dreaming with me and supporting that.
“It’s definitely, for this year at least, the main goal.”
The Springbok Women have a big season ahead, with major fixtures including the USA in July and the Black Ferns in September.
