The Springbok Women’s Sevens team showed remarkable resilience to overcome a double blow on the opening day of the HSBC SVNS 2 campaign in Sao Paulo, Brazil. After suffering back-to-back defeats to Spain and Kenya, the team regrouped to secure a convincing 26-12 win over the hosts, restoring pride and momentum heading into Sunday’s fixtures.
The early signs were worrying, with a revamped starting line-up struggling to find cohesion in the opener against Spain. The Spanish team was clinical, making the most of limited chances as South Africa failed to gain a foothold. The situation was compounded by injury concerns, most notably to captain Nadine Roos, whose knee problem disrupted an already disjointed performance.
Turnaround Against Brazil
However, sparked by Ayanda Malinga’s quickfire brace, the Bok Women finally found their rhythm against Brazil. Malinga struck twice in quick succession to seize control of the match, and with improved ball retention and greater attacking intent, South Africa began to stretch the hosts. Two further tries in the second half sealed a deserved victory and injected fresh belief into Cecil Afrika’s squad.
Having already qualified for the World Championship, the South Africans arrived in Brazil looking to make a statement in the final tournament of the series. While their start fell short of that ambition, their strong finish suggests they remain a dangerous side when they hit their stride. As explained on the World Rugby website, the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series is an annual series of international rugby sevens tournaments.
Looking Ahead to Sunday’s Clashes
The team will look to carry that momentum into Sunday’s clashes against Argentina and China, where a more consistent performance could yet turn a mixed opening day into a successful campaign. The Bok Women have already secured their spot in the Rugby World Cup Sevens, and a strong showing in Sao Paulo would be a significant boost ahead of the tournament.
Here are the key takeaways from the opening day:
- The Springbok Women’s Sevens team suffered back-to-back defeats to Spain and Kenya.
- Ayanda Malinga’s quickfire brace sparked a turnaround against Brazil.
- The team secured a convincing 26-12 win over the hosts to restore pride and momentum.
- The Bok Women will look to carry that momentum into Sunday’s clashes against Argentina and China.
