South Africa have qualified for the Women’s Rugby World Cup (Women’s ENG25) quarter-finals after two wins against Brazil and Italy in Pool D saw them lead the group with 10 points in the tournament currently taking place in England.
Led by the imperious captain Nolusindiso Booi, this is the first time the Springbok Women are gracing the top eight in five consecutive World Cup appearances since marking their debut in 2006. South Africa is Africa’s sole representative in the competition.
In an interview with SABC Sport, Booi said she is excited to lead the team to its first-ever Rugby World Cup quarter-final.
“First of all, I am happy to be a part of history makers,” Booi told SABC Sport. “I was also happy to see a great number of South Africans who came to see us. The support has been amazing. I am happy to see the growth of our team and the way we applied ourselves against Italy.”
The Bok Women kicked off the tournament with a dominant 66-6 display against Brazil before edging Italy 29-24 in the second game.
Booi says “sticking to the game plan and working toward one vision has been a key factor to help win games.”
“The coaches have helped us to be better and have helped us to believe in ourselves,” she said. “I am glad that we have followed the instructions regarding our game plan in the past two games. Now we are implementing everything that we have been learning. I also want to praise all the players who paved the way for us; it took a while for the women’s team to get to this point.”
South Africa will now play their final Pool D match against France in Northampton on Sunday, with Booi hoping they can maintain the winning momentum.
“It’s good that we find ourselves here. In the past, it would be tough to secure a win in our pool, but look now, we will be playing in the quarter-finals. I hope we maintain our winning momentum.”
Gwijo singing powers Boks’ World Cup
At the heart of Bok Women’s success is Gwijo, a unified singing style which was initially performed by Xhosa warriors before entering battle.
When the final whistle went in York to confirm South Africa’s victory over Italy on Sunday, it sparked mass singing and dancing across the field – but it’s not just in victory that these women sing.
Gwijo is an ancient form of South African cultural expression still seen today. Originally a ritual where Xhosa warriors would sing together to gather strength and calm nerves before a battle, it follows the men’s and women’s national teams across the globe and has been a regular feature at England 2025.
Speaking to World Rugby, former player and current assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt said she knows exactly “what it’s like to experience Gwijo and sees its benefits first-hand.”
“They chant, they dance, they sing, they’re just happy people,” she said of the players.
“Happy people are confident people, and confidence on the field is massive. It’s really special because when I was a player that’s what we did.
“We sang to generate energy from each other, and going onto the field we’d carry that with us. Whether that’s to a training session or to a match, we do that to feel united and ready to go to war.”
Gwijo singing is a message of unison and hope
Nombuyekezo Mdliki is one of the leaders of the singing within the squad and has around 20 different Gwijo songs in her repertoire.
“It helps to deal with nerves, not to focus on the game that’s coming,” she said. “It doesn’t allow you to think about all the surroundings, all the things that are going to stress you.
“Gwijo is something to distract your mind. It uplifts your confidence.”
Songs can range from loud and motivating to quieter and more concentrated melodies. Mdliki says her choices depend on the environment and mood.
“If we are down, we will sing a song that will uplift our souls, and if we are celebrating, we sing one that’s for celebrating,” she said.
“If there’s an event, we’ll sing one that goes with that event because they are different categories.
“We don’t really sing loud ones when we are in the changing rooms; we sing ones with prayers because we are praying for the win. Praying to do well. So it’s not really loud, it’s polite.”
Ultimately, the ritual relaxes players and allows them to play their best rugby. But more than that, it fosters a family environment within the squads and brings players together unlike any other team.
“It’s about the culture. It’s about uniting ourselves,” she added.
Additional reporting by World Rugby
