Mpupha gets starting role for Springboks

By Harry Scott-Munro
5/11/21

Exeter Chiefs Women’s back Zintle Mphupa will start at outside centre for South Africa against France in Vannes tomorrow as the Springbok Women begin their preparation ahead of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Nolusindiso Booi will captain the side for the first time since 2018, while coach Stanley Raubenheimer has also handed first starts to Libbie Janse van Rensburg and uncapped Nadine Roos.

The experienced Booi last played for South Africa in 2018 and makes a much-anticipated return to the squad, which will also be bolstered by the return of Tayla Kinsey, Babalwa Latsha and Rights Mkhari, with the trio missing out on the August Test series against Kenya in Stellenbosch due to injury.

Booi and Kinsey are the most experienced players in the squad and alongside replacement prop, Asithandile Ntoyanto, are the only players with Rugby World Cup experience, meaning Head Coach Raubenheimer will be looking to their experience to drive the side forward throughout the Autumn campaign.

A total of 16 of the match-day 23 featured in the Stellenbosch Test squad against Kenya earlier this year, with Roseline Botes and Amahle Nyoba both in line to make their tests debuts against the French.

Raubenheimer has been pleased with the build up from his side so far, and admitted he was looking forward to understanding where his side are in terms of preparation.

“I have confidence in the players selected, but there can be no doubt that we will be up against a very good side. France are in the top tier of international women’s rugby and we are outside the top ten, but be it as it may, we are determined to take as much out of this game as possible,” he admitted. “We will play France again in less than 11 months when we face them as our first opponents at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and after Saturday will have a better understanding of where we are in our preparation.”

Raubenheimer is also hoping that some tactical adjustments and a focus on ball retention can continue to drive his side forward.

“This is very much about what we want to achieve in certain areas of the game,” he said. “We want to hold onto the ball for longer and have tweaked our kicking game as well after the 50/22 law came into effect.”

The Head Coach is in no doubt about the challenge of facing the French, but acknowledged that the best thing for his side was to test themselves against one of the world’s best.

“France bring an all-round game to the field, and we will find their intensity a huge challenge. That said, we wanted to play them for a reason, which is to be confronted by that intensity. We have to measure ourselves against the best teams in the world and this is such a test for us.”

SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN SQUAD TO FACE FRANCE WOMEN

15. Eloise Webb (Boland Dames, 5 caps)
14. Nomawethu Mabenge (EP Queens, 2 caps)
13. Zintle Mpupha (Exeter Chiefs, England, 7 caps)
12. Chumisa Qawe (DHL WP, 4 caps)
11. Nadine Roos (Boland Dames; uncapped)
10. Libbie Janse van Rensburg (Blue Bulls Women; 2 caps)
9. Tayla Kinsey (Cell C Sharks Women, 15 caps)
8. Sizophila Solontsi (Cell C Sharks Women, 6 caps)
7. Sinazo Mcatshulwa (DHL WP, 8 caps)
6. Lusanda Dumke (Border Women, 8 caps)
5. Rights Mkhari (Blue Bulls Women, 3 caps)
4. Nolusindiso Booi (DHL WP, captain; 24 caps)
3. Babalwa Latsha (DHL WP, 9 caps)
2. Lindelwa Gwala (Cell C Sharks, 10 caps)
1. Yonela Ngxingolo (Border Women, 10 caps)

Replacements:

16. Roseline Botes (DHL WP, uncapped)
17. Asithandile Ntoyanto (Border Women, 5 caps)
18. Amahle Nyoba (EP Queens, uncapped)
19. Catha Jacobs (Blue Bulls Women, 2 caps)
20. Ziyanda Ngohlekana (SWD Eagirls, 1 cap)
21. Unam Tose (Border Women, 3 caps)
22. Jakkie Cilliers (Leopards, 1 cap)
23. Ayanda Malinga (Blue Bulls Women, 3 caps)