Cape Town - The England challenge will be a tough one, no doubt about that, but the Springbok Women are ready for it.
The South Africans will take on the English in their third World Cup match at Waitakere Stadium in Auckland on Sunday in the final pool match for both teams in New Zealand.
The sides are in very different positions heading into the match.
While South Africa will be hunting their first tournament win, England have won both their encounters so far and are on a 28-Test winning streak.
A defeat will mean that the team will return to South Africa on Tuesday. A victory could propel them into the quarter-finals of the tournament. So the pressure is on.
But for Nolusindiso Booi that isn’t a bad thing.
— Springbok Women (@WomenBoks) October 22, 2022
“Whatever happens, we must leave the field knowing we left nothing out there. That is what I have asked the players (to do), and I believe they will respond,” she said.
Booi and Zenay Jordaan both scored tries the last time the Springbok Women played England – in the 2013 Women’s Nations Cup – with the Red Roses scraping home 18-17.
Coach Stanley Raubenheimer named seven changes to his squad on Thursday, but that number has since changed to six, with Simamkele Namba a late withdrawal and Zintle Mpupha slotting back into the midfield, where she played against France and scored a try against Fiji.
Booi reckons the changes should inject some good energy.
"It’s a very exciting squad because they include young players who haven’t played so far, and we can see their energy during the sessions this week,” said Booi.
“They are extremely excited to know that they are playing in the Rugby World Cup. It is something so big, and I know we’re going to challenge England.
The #WomenBoks team to take on @EnglandRugby on Sunday. Some thoughts from captain Nolusindiso Booi here: https://t.co/tLkzDQux8g#RWC2021 #TogetherMovingForward pic.twitter.com/Zb2FzglJls
— Springbok Women (@WomenBoks) October 22, 2022
“Our players are so into this game, and we’re excited and happy at the same time knowing that being there on the field and giving everything that we have can bring us rewards.
“If we want to spring the surprise of the tournament, we need to execute well when we have the ball. We have done that in stages so far in the tournament, but we need to put it all together on Sunday.”
This will be the fifth meeting between the sides. They have met once before at a Rugby World Cup, in Edmonton in 2006, where England won 74-8.
Springbok Women’s Team
15 Eloise Webb, 14 Nomawethu Mabenge, 13 Zintle Mpupha, 12 Chumisa Qawe, 11 Nadine Roos, 10 Zenay Jordaan, 9 Tayla Kinsey, 8 Aseza Hele, 7 Lerato Makua, 6 Lusanda Dumke, 5 Catha Jacobs, 4 Nolusindiso Booi, 3 Babalwa Latsha, 2 Roseline Botes, 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie.
Replacements: 16 Micke Gunter, 17 Yonela Ngxingolo, 18 Azisa Mkiva, 19 Nompumelelo Mathe, 20 Sizophila Solontsi, 21 Rumandi Potgieter, 22 Jakkie Cilliers, 23 Chuma Qawe.