Expect the unexpected, but be sure that the Springbok Women will have their minds firmly on the job at hand and executing their opponent-specific gameplan when they take on Australia’s Wallaroos in their second round WXV 2 clash at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.
According to South Africa’s captain Lusanda Dumke, they have high regard for the ability of their WXV 2 opponents’ all-round game, but are not going into battle with anything else than a winning performance in mind.
“We are well aware of their strengths, especially their ability to play total rugby, but we prepared accordingly and have our own plans in place to not only combat that, but also to force our style of play on them,” said the 28-year-old flanker.
“The coaches have a plan, we trained that well and now we need to execute that tomorrow.”
Dumke, who also represented the Springbok Women’s Sevens team in her career, was in a race against time to be fit for WXV2 after picking up an ankle injury in the Women’s Premier Division final in August, but she said she was very happy to be cleared.
“At the beginning of the season, I earmarked WXV 2 as a definite goal, so I am very happy to be fit and ready for this game,” said Dumke.
“Our last visit to Athlone Stadium was a happy one when we played a very good game against Samoa in last year’s WXV tournament. We go back to Athlone with happy memories and hoping to create more of those.”
Dumke, who also captains the Bulls Daisies and scored one of her 10 Test tries at Athlone Stadium last year, takes over the captaincy from Nolusindiso Booi, who will play off the bench.
“There are good leaders in our team, and I am not at all worried that we will run out of decision-making on the field,” she said. “It is no problem for me to lead the team, in fact it is a massive honour, and I am hoping to do the occasion justice.”
Dumke last captained South Africa in 2021 in two Tests against Kenya.
Amongst the crowd coming to support the Bok Women will be Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, who has been a vocal supporter of the team, something Dumke said is highly appreciated.
“It is great – Siya is one of the leading voices in the game and his genuine support for us is brilliant,” she said.
“To have him in the stands while we play will be massive and hopefully will bring more people to come and support us at the stadium. It is just so great to have such a good advocate for our game, but that shifts the responsibility to us to deliver on the expectations.”
It will be a first time the Springbok Women will host the Wallaroos, with all three previous encounters part of the Rugby World Cup tournaments, in 2006, 2010 and 2014.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that the calf injury sustained by the Bok Women’s leading points’ scorer, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, has ruled her out of the remainder of WXV 2. A decision on a replacement for Janse van Rensburg will be made after the match against Australia.
Source: SA Rugby
