Springboks women’s coach Stanley Raubenheimer is hoping to tire the Fijiana out in the first hour before he unleashes his star players as he looks for his first Rugby World Cup win in Auckland on Sunday.
Star flanker Lusanda Dumke, and the faster and more mobile Lerato Makua are among the players who will be starting off the bench as per Raubenheimer’s game plan which entails maintaining the same starting XVs that lost to France in their opening game for the match against the Fijiana this Sunday.
The South Africans lost 5-40.
Despite losing their Pool C opening game, Raubenheimer said his players came out of the French game unscathed, allowing him to go with the same line-up against Fiji with a different outlook that is banking on the players’ smarting from their opening encounter.
The match is scheduled for a 4.45 pm (Fiji Time) kick-off at Waitakere Stadium on Sunday.
The Springbok Women’s team to face Fiji in Auckland:
15. Nadine Roos (Blue Bulls Women) – 9 tests, 25 points (5 tries)
14. Nomawethu Mabenge (EP Queens) – 9 tests, 30 points (6 tries)
13. Zintle Mpupha (DHL Western Province) – 16 tests, 86 points (16 tries, 3 conversions)
12. Aphiwe Ngwevu (Border Ladies) – 13 tests, 35 points (7 tries)
11. Simamkele Namba (DHL Western Province) – 7 tests, 30 points (6 tries)
10. Libbie Janse van Rensburg (Blue Bulls Women) – 11 tests, 96 points (4 tries, 26 conversions, 7 penalty goals, 1 drop goal)
9. Tayla Kinsey (Cell C Sharks Women) – 22 tests, 44 points (2 tries, 14 conversions, 2 penalty goals)
8. Aseza Hele (Boland Dames) – 14 tests, 25 points (5 tries)
7. Sinazo Mcatshulwa (DHL Western Province) – 16 tests, 35 points (7 tries)
6. Sizophila Solontsi (Cell C Sharks Women) – 19 tests, 25 points (5 tries)
5. Rights Mkhari (Blue Bulls Women) – 9 tests, 35 points (7 tries)
4. Nolusindiso Booi (captain, DHL Western Province) – 31 tests, 10 points (2 tries)
3. Babalwa Latsha (DHL Western Province) – 18 tests, 10 points (2 tries)
2. Lindelwa Gwala (Cell C Sharks Women) – 19 tests, 10 points (2 tries)
1. Sanelisiwe Charlie (EP Queens) – 5 tests
Replacements:
16. Roseline Botes (DHL Western Province) – 6 tests, 10 points (2 tries)
17. Asithandile Ntoyanto (Border Ladies) – 13 tests, 10 points (2 tries)
18. Monica Mazibukwana (EP Queens) – 3 tests
19. Lerato Makua (Blue Bulls Women) – 5 tests
20. Lusanda Dumke (Border Ladies) – 16 tests, 25 points (5 tries)
21. Unam Tose (Border Ladies) – 12 tests
22. Zenay Jordaan (EP Queens) – 34 tests, 98 points (13 tries, 12 conversions, 3 penalty goals)
23. Eloise Webb (Border Ladies) – 8 tests, 30 points (6 tries)
Photo: Rights Mkhari of South Africa competes in the line out during the Pool C Rugby World Cup 2021 match between South Africa and France at Eden Park on October 08, 2022, in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
