Springbok Women’s Sevens Storm Through Pool Stage in Nairobi
- salifemag
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
The Springbok Women’s Sevens have made an emphatic start to their 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Cup campaign in Nairobi, dominating Pool A with convincing victories over Mauritius and Zimbabwe. The defending champions remain unbeaten as they set their sights on the knockout rounds, beginning with a high-stakes Cup Quarter-Final against Ghana today at 08:00 SAST.
South Africa opened their campaign in outstanding fashion, dismantling Mauritius 68-0. Tries flowed freely, with Maria Tshiremba, Simamkele Namba, Vianca Boer, and Patience Mokone each crossing the line twice. The Bok Women’s defensive intensity left Mauritius with little space to work, while turnovers were converted into points with swift, clinical precision. Captain Nadine Roos orchestrated the game with calm authority, controlling tempo, delivering crisp distribution, and exploiting gaps with her trademark footwork. She also contributed on the scoreboard, converting almost all her attempts before Byrhandré Dolf took over in the second half with flawless accuracy. By half-time, South Africa were firmly in control at 33-0 and showed no sign of easing off.
Their second Pool A match against Zimbabwe followed a similar pattern. Roos struck early with a sharp step and conversion before releasing Simamkele Mamba through midfield to extend the lead. Moments later, Roos sprinted the length of the field to put South Africa 21-0 ahead at the break. Tshiremba added to the tally early in the second half, and Mokone stole the spotlight with a second-half hat-trick, sealing a 45-0 victory and underlining South Africa’s dominance.
Reflecting on the day’s performances, captain Nadine Roos highlighted the team’s unity and focus:"The team set the foundation from the first game with our win, and each match is an opportunity to build and improve. Leading this team is a privilege and an honour, made easy because I’m surrounded by players who are leaders in their own right."
Looking ahead, Roos is aware of the challenges to come:"Tomorrow is going to be more intense, so expect the team to be sharper, hungrier, and better in every aspect of the game."
Today, the Springbok Women’s Sevens take on Ghana in the Cup Quarter-Final at 08:00 SAST, a match that will mark the start of the knockout phase. With the title and qualification for January’s SVNS Division Three Challenger tournament on the line, South Africa remain firmly focused on cementing their status as continental champions.