Black Ferns stop a brave Bok Women surge
- Karen Scheepers
- Sep 15
- 2 min read
But SA took a massive step
Let’s be real: on paper, a 46–17 scoreline to New Zealand looks routine. On the field in Exeter, it was anything but. This was South Africa’s first-ever Women’s Rugby World Cup quarterfinal, and they went toe-to-toe with the six-time champs for 40 full minutes. Remember, a big chunk of this group only picked up rugby after age 16 because most SA schools still don’t run girls’ teams. Context matters, and it makes what they did even bigger.
How it played out (no fluff)
Early punch from SA: After a fiery start, Babalwa Latsha muscled over on 20 minutes.
NZ hit back, SA answered: Quick tries to Theresa Setefano and Braxton Sorensen-McGee swung things… then Aphiwe Ngwevu smashed through after the hooter. Halftime: 10–10.
Champions’ squeeze: Three tries in the first seven minutes after the break felt like a black-jersey tidal wave.
Kept swinging: A TMO chalked off Yonela Ngxingolo, but Lerato Makua finished a classy move to keep the Boks in it. New Zealand closed it out late.
SA tries: Latsha, Ngwevu, Makua (Dolf 1 conv)NZ tries: Setefano; Sorensen-McGee (2); Renee Holmes (2); Kaipo Olsen-Baker (2); Katelyn Vahaakolo
The bold bench move
Coach Swys de Bruin went with a 7–1 split: seven forwards, one back on the bench. Why? To fight the Ferns where they’re scary, up front. Two fresh packs across 80 minutes, keep the scrum alive, keep the maul rolling, and give Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Zintle Mpupha something to play off. It worked for long stretches; the dam wall just cracked after the break.
Shout-outs
Aphiwe Ngwevu – Straight-line menace; momentum every carry.
Babalwa Latsha – Set the tone, scored the opener, never backed off.
Sizophila Solontsi & Sinazo Mcatshulwa – Nasty work at the breakdown.
Lerato Makua – Came on, made a difference, got her try.
Byrhandré Dolf – Organised the back field and stayed calm under fire.
Why this quarterfinal really matters
Late starters, smaller pathways. Many of these players didn’t have school rugby. They found the game in clubs and varsities, years later than their peers in New Zealand, France or England.
And yet… level at halftime. That’s huge. It says the talent is real and the system is improving.
Signal to the next generation. Little sisters watching at home just saw South Africa in a knockout game holding their own for 40. That changes dreams, and decisions.
If we want to close the gap faster
Girls’ rugby at school (U15 & U18 leagues everywhere).
More qualified coaches and refs in the women’s game.
Tight club-to-province alignment on S&C, skills, and player load.
Balanced year-round calendar (XVs + Sevens) so players rack up smart minutes.
Guaranteed coverage, every provincial round streamed and marketed.
Final Whistle
New Zealand advanced. South Africa progressed. A first quarterfinal, 40 minutes of parity with the best to ever do it, and a squad built mostly from late starters? That’s not a footnote, that’s a foundation. Keep building the pathways, keep backing these women, and the next time a knockout whistle blows, we’ll be talking about the result, not the gap.
🏉💪🙌
All image credits to: SA Women's Rugby
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