This Saturday marks the return of women’s rugby after a two year hiatus following the failure of the 2020 season to launch during the Covid pandemic and its effect on local rugby in South Africa.
The Women’s Inter-provincial Premier Division tournament gets under way on Saturday for the Cell C Sharks Women’s team when they host Eastern Province Women at KP2 at 12pm.
Over an 11 week period, the top teams in the country will go head-to-head in the Women’s Inter-provincial Premier Division with the final, between the top two finishing sides, taking place on Saturday 17 July.
KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Province make up four of the six teams contesting the premier division, with Boland, Border, Blue Bulls and Western Province making up the balance.
The double-round format allows the teams to build momentum and refine their game-plan and performances over a two month period and is a welcome return to action for these women who have missed playing competitive rugby since 2019.
In the other two matches, defending champions Western Province host Boland while the runner’s up, Border, take on the Blue Bulls.
With the Women’s Rugby World Cup scheduled to be played this year (hosted by New Zealand), there is added motivation for the participants of the Women’s Inter-provincial Premier Division to shine and gain selection for the elite tournament.
Cell C Sharks Women
1. Jessica Verwey
2. Micke Gunter
3. Gugu Mthethwa
4. Karthy Dludla
5. Nobuhle Mjwara
6. Nqabakazi Nqoro
7. Jaime Norton
8. Sizo Solontsi
9. Wendy Majozi Nothando
10. Mary Zulu
11. Mbali Bukhosini
12. Zinhle Ndawonde
13. Megan Comley (C)
14. Nqobile Mhlangu
15. Macaela Henning
Replacements
16. Sne Luthuli
17. Vanessa Holmes
18. Phatheka Dzanibe
19. Nonhlakanipho Hadebe
20. Lee De Bruyn
21. Jean Kietzmann
22. Anesipho Malgas
23. Buhle Msomi