Springbok Sevens Women coach, Renfred Dazel leading players in a training session as he prepares to introduce two debutants. Phando Jikelo Independent Newspapers
Former Proteas hockey player Kayla Swarts didn’t take long to make an impact on the international rugby sevens scene since switching sports after last year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Swarts and DHL Western Province scrumhalf Alicia Willemse are in line to make their international rugby sevens debuts.
Springbok Women’s Sevens head coach Renfred Dazel named the duo in his 12-player squad for the World Rugby HSBC Sevens 2025 Challenger Series.
The Springbok Women’s Sevens are trying to regain their HSBC SVNS status.
The first of the two tournaments at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town will be played on the weekend of March 1 and 2. The second will take place in the following weekend.
Willemse, who has been training with the Springbok Women XVs team in recent months, will join an experienced group of players for the first tournament.
Dazel said Swarts and Willemse will be valuable additions to his squad.
“Kayla played for us in the Dubai Invitational tournament and has been training with us since. She is such a natural. It is hard to believe that she still played hockey at the Paris Olympics, such has been her progress,” he said.
“Alicia, on the other hand, joined us this week due to some injuries we have at sweeper or flyhalf, but she is also a natural and will do well.
“I still think sevens is her game. She has good passing skills, nimble feet and understands space, all of which are requirements to be a good sevens player.”
The Challenger Series will be used to determine the top four teams that will try to qualify for next season’s HSBC SVNS.
Mathrin Simmers, South Africa’s most experienced women’s sevens player, will lead the squad, which includes a number of dual-code players, such as Nadine Roos, Zintle Mpupha and Ayanda Malinga.
Dazel believes the experienced core will help them in a tough format and the pressures of playing at home.
Simmers will be joined by five other teammates who played in the 2023 Challenger Series in Stellenbosch, where the hosts won both events.
“Rights Mkhari, Mpupha, Kemisetso Baloyi, Roos and Malinga were part of that group. Maria Tshiremba, Felicia Jacobs and Shiniqua Lamprecht played in the 2024 HSBC SVNS, while Leigh Fortuin made her debut for the team at the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens last November,” Dazel said.
The top eight placed men’s and women’s teams after two weekends of competition at Athlone Stadium will progress to the third round at the Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow, Poland on April 11 and 12.
“The format is such that you must win your pool to get into the semi-finals so the pressure will be on all teams from the start,” Dazel said.
“Playing at Athlone Stadium could add to the pressure, but it could also work in our favour. Either way, it remains special for our squad to compete at home in front of their home supporters and I know the team will make the most of it.”
The top four ranked men’s and women’s teams will qualify for the HSBC SVNS Play-off tournament in Los Angeles on May 3 and 4.
Springbok Women’s Sevens squad for the opening tournament of the Challenger Series: Leigh Fortuin, Zintle Mpupha, Felicia Jacobs, Maria Tshiremba, Kayla Swarts, Nadine Roos, Mathrin Simmers (captain), Kemisetso Baloyi, Shiniqwa Lamprecht, Ayanda Malinga, Alicia Willemse, Rights Mkhari
Challenger pools:
Pool A: South Africa, Czechia, Hong Kong China
Pool B: Argentina, Thailand, Mexico
Pool C: Belgium, Uganda, Colombia
Pool D: Poland, Kenya, Samoa
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