EAST LONDON - After an impressive debut season in Spain playing for Eibar Rugby Taldea, Springbok women's captain and prop Babalwa Latsha wants to raise the profile of women's rugby in South Africa.
The 26-year old Latsha had her contract renewed this week after she became a vital cog in Eiba Rugby Taldea's campaign, in which she scored an impressive 13 tries in seven games.
Speaking to IOL Sport, she could not contain her excitement about the renewal of the contract.
“I feel very excited and privileged to be granted another opportunity to ply my trade abroad. It’s an opportunity that I plan to grab with both hands, do what I can do best and have lots of fun representing myself as Babalwa Latsha, as a professional rugby player, and South African rugby as a brand,” said the elated Latsha.
The industrious Eastern Cape-born prop spent three months in Spain, but the season was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic that has also affected sport around the world.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/eibarugbytaldea?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@eibarugbytaldeahas renewed my contract. I will be with the @ferugby outfit for another season. 🏉 @jobsrugby pic.twitter.com/R8hY0pnStD
— Babalwa Latsha (@BabalwaLatsha)
Not so long ago, Latsha captained the Springbok women's team that qualified for the 2021 Rugby World Cup, and now she promises to double her efforts and represent South African women’s rugby well in Europe.
“The renewal of my contract is the reward for the hard work that I have put in. You will recall that in seven games, I scored thirteen tries. That speaks volumes to what I am capable of, but also to what South African female rugby players are capable of," she said.
"I am very happy and relieved that I am given another opportunity. I want to break records. I want to shine the light on South African Women’s rugby. I want my performances to speak for me and other female rugby players in South Africa because talent is something we are not short of,” concluded Latsha.