\n CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 2, 2024\/APO Group\/ —
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Sizophila Solontsi and Nomawethu Mabenge will make welcome returns to Test rugby after being named in the Springbok Women\u2019s starting team to face Cameroon in the 2024 Rugby Africa Women\u2019s Cup opener in Madagascar on Saturday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The pair last played together at the same venue in the same competition a year ago, where Mabenge topped the points\u2019 scoring stakes with six tries.<\/p>\n
Samantha Els and Aliyah Tchogna-Njamen have been included in the run-on team for the first time after making their international debuts off the bench against Spain early last month, while Nomsa Mokwai will earn a first start since 2019.<\/p>\n
There is also a return to Bok duty for Lusanda Dumke and Nompumelelo Mathe for the first time in 2024.<\/p>\n
Mathe, as well as the halfback combination of Rumandi Potgieter and Mary Zulu are the only players who started against Cameroon in the first clash between the sides last year.<\/p>\n
In all, eight changes were made from the team that started against USA in London on 30 March.<\/p>\n
Nolusindiso Booi will again lead the side in what will be another record-breaking appearance in Green and Gold when she dons the jersey for a 43rd<\/sup> time in a Test. She is one of four players who started against USA, with 11 others involved in that match as well.<\/p>\n Springbok Women head coach Louis Koen was happy to welcome back the returning players, and added that Tchogna-Njamen and Els deserved their first starts for South Africa.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is great to have Sizo and Nomawethu back and to have Lusanda coming off the bench,\u201d said Koen.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are still thin on experience in certain positions, as we saw on our recent tour to Europe, and they will certainly address that for us.<\/p>\n \u201cAliyah and Samantha have been with us since October last year and have worked extremely hard ever since, so they deserve their starts. Both need game time, so this is a great opportunity to get that and stake a claim.<\/p>\n \u201cThe same applies to Nomsa, who has showed in her return to Test rugby against the USA last month that more is to come.\u201d<\/p>\n Koen is adamant that a strong start to the competition is non-negotiable: \u201cWe need to win the tournament to qualify for next year\u2019s World Cup, so we cannot afford any mistakes.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the team we\u2019ve selected reflects that and gives acknowledgement to Cameroon, who will come at us physically, as we experienced last year. A strong start will give us the momentum for the rest of the campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n With a tight schedule of three matches in 12 days, it will be challenging to seelct a fresh team in the next two matches, but Koen said they have worked out their selection strategy based on the vast experience in the squad.<\/p>\n \u201cSome players have played three consecutive matches in the Premier Division and we took that into consideration as well,\u201d said Koen.<\/p>\n \u201cThe main focus will be to have three sides that are as fresh as possible for each game and I think we will be able to manage that.<\/p>\n Last year, the Bok Women beat Cameroon 87-0 as they went on to claim the African title, but Koen said that result is history.<\/p>\n \u201cEach Test match brings new challenges, and we are ready to embrace those,\u201d he said. \u201cWe will focus on our strengths and to impose that on our opponents. We have prepared well and go into the game with a clear-cut understanding on how we want to perform in order to be successful.\u201d<\/p>\n Match detail: South Africa v Cameroon<\/strong><\/p>\n Date: Saturday, 4 May 2024<\/p>\n Venue: Stade Maki, Antananarivo<\/p>\n Kick-off: 12h00 (SA time)<\/p>\n Referee: Julie Randriarimanana<\/p>\n Springbok Women team to face Cameroon:<\/strong><\/p>\n 15. Chuma Qawe (Sanlam Boland Dames) \u2013 9 Tests, 0 points<\/p>\n 14. Nomawethu Mabenge (Sanlam Boland Dames) \u2013 16 Tests, 65 points (13 tries)<\/p>\n 13. Veroeshka Grain (Sanlam Boland Dames) \u2013 19 Tests, 35 points (7 tries)<\/p>\n 12. Piwokuhle Nyanda (Golden Lions Women) \u2013 10 Tests, 0 points<\/p>\n 11. Maceala Samboya (Sanlam Boland Dames) \u2013 3 Tests, 5 points (1 try)<\/p>\n 10. Mary Zulu (Sharks Women) \u2013 8 Tests, 4 points (2 conversions)<\/p>\n 9. Rumandi Potgieter (Bulls Daisies) \u2013 15 Tests, 0 points<\/p>\n 8. Sizophila Solontsi (Bulls Daisies) \u2013 18 Tests, 40 points (8 tries)<\/p>\n 7. Samantha Els (unattached) \u2013 1 Test, 0 points<\/p>\n 6. Nompumelelo Mathe (Sanlam Boland Dames) \u2013 17 Tests, 25 points (5 tries)<\/p>\n 5. Nomsa Mokwai (DHL Western Province) \u2013 5 Tests, 0 points<\/p>\n 4. Nolusindiso Booi (captain, DHL Western Province) \u2013 42 Tests, 5 points (1 try)<\/p>\n 3. Aliyah Tchogna-Njamen (Golden Lions Women) \u2013 2 Tests, 0 points<\/p>\n 2. Lindelwa Gwala (Ealing Trailfinders Women) \u2013 29 Tests, 35 points (7 tries)<\/p>\n 1. Sanelisiwe Charlie (Bulls Daisies) \u2013 16 Tests, 5 points (1 try)<\/p>\n Replacements:<\/strong><\/p>\n 16. Roseline Botes (DHL Western Province) \u2013 17 Tests, 40 points (8 tries)<\/p>\n 17. Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Golden Lions Women) \u2013 2 Tests, 0 points<\/p>\n 18. Azisa Mkiva (DHL Western Province) \u2013 6 Tests, 0 points<\/p>\n 19. Vainah Ubisi (Bulls Daisies) \u2013 11 Tests, 0 points<\/p>\n 20. Lusanda Dumke (Bulls Daisies) \u2013 28 Tests, 35 points (7 tries)<\/p>\n 21. Tayla Kinsey (Sharks Women) \u2013 32 Tests, 48 points (2 tries, 16 conversions, 2 penalty goals)<\/p>\n 22. Aphiwe Ngwevu (Border Ladies) \u2013 18 Tests, 35 points (7 tries)<\/p>\n 23. Byrhandr\u00e8 Dolf (Bulls Daisies) \u2013 11 Tests, 15 points (3 tries)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n