Talks of Women’s Super Rugby League in full swing
While the delay of the Women’s Super League may not have been ideal for many, Cheetahs head coach Aschin Klein – a long-serving stalwart of the women’s game – believes it could prove to be a blessing in disguise.
SA Rugby has been working tirelessly to expand opportunities for women’s players and to further professionalise the women’s game in South Africa.
On the back of the Springbok Women’s historic World Cup campaign, where they reached their first-ever quarterfinal, SA Rugby launched the Betway Women’s Club Championship, featuring 16 teams in Johannesburg.
That momentum continued with the expansion of the Under-20 Women’s Week and the introduction of the Under-16 Elite Player Development (EPD) camp in Paarl.
Now, attention turns to the next major milestone – the planned Women’s Super League Rugby (WSLR), a fully professional competition expected to kick off in 2026.
SA Rugby intends to centrally contract up to 150 players, creating an unprecedented professional platform for women’s rugby in the country.
Originally slated for early 2025, the launch of the WSLR has been postponed to mid-2026 to allow for further planning and player development.
“South Africa is putting a lot more emphasis on women’s rugby right now – it’s huge,” said Klein.
“There’s the upcoming Super League, big investment from SA Rugby, the Betway Club Championship, and the U20 competition.
“I believe the Bok Women have inspired a lot of young girls. There’s this incredible energy – when you talk to them, they know about women’s rugby, they know what the Springbok Women achieved on the world stage.”
Planning for depth and demand
While finer details of the new league are still being ironed out, Klein has already mapped out how his side will handle the demands of an expanded calendar and deeper competition.
“The Super League was initially meant to start last year, then moved to this year, and now to around May or June next year,” he explained.
“When I drafted our season plan, we factored in the challenges – especially around player depth.
“We invited around 45 local players and added 15-20 from outside. Throughout this year’s Premier Division – a non-promotion, non-relegation season – we used the competition to grow our squad. Everyone got game time so we could assess where we stand and what we still need.
“Next year’s schedule will be hectic: the Premier Division is expected to start on January 17, with semifinals and a Final in late March.
“After a two-month international window, likely for the Africa Cup, the Super League will run through to August, followed by another international break before the cycle starts again.”
Klein said that careful rotation and player management will be key to maintaining performance across both competitions.
“From a coaching point of view, you’ve got to plan smartly. The Super League will be demanding – it’s a fully professional competition – so ensuring player welfare and depth is critical. We have a solid plan in place to manage that.”
View this post on Instagram
A bright future for the Cheetahs Queens
Klein’s contract with the Cheetahs runs until the end of October, but he remains optimistic about the professionalisation of the Cheetahs Queens.
“I’m not sure what will happen after November 1, but we were close to turning professional,” he said.
“I was finalising a possible sponsorship deal that could have made the women’s side fully professional.
“Even if I move on, I hope the project continues. We’ve already laid the foundation. Last season, although technically amateur, we operated as a professional setup – matching the Bulls Daisies in training hours, squad size, and gym sessions.
“We might not have had all the fancy tools like GPS tracking, but everything else – preparation, planning, professionalism – was on the same level. With the right funding, the Cheetahs could become a dominant force in South African women’s rugby.”
That potential was evident when five Free State players – Inge Sander, Vuyelwa Mosala, Bernice Strydom, TJ Ngxowa, and Cloe Adams (Titans Academy) – earned selection to the Betway Club Championship Dream Team.
“Having those players recognised means a lot to the province,” Klein said proudly.
“It shows that we’re doing something right – and moving in the right direction.”
A lifelong servant of the game
Klein began his coaching journey in 1999 and has been a driving force in women’s rugby for more than two decades.
He helped establish the Titans Women’s Rugby Club – now the Titans Rugby Academy – in 2005, and in 2015, he guided the Kenya Lionesses 7s to their first international trophy during the World Series and Olympic Qualifiers.
More recently, he played a key role as forwards coach for the Bulls Daisies, contributing to their back-to-back titles before joining the Cheetahs Queens.
As the conversation around the Women’s Super League gathers momentum, one thing is clear – coaches like Aschin Klein are ensuring that when the whistle finally blows on the new era of women’s rugby, the Cheetahs will be ready to roar.
Watch the latest episodes of Stronger Than You Think on RugbyPass TV now
