OPINION: Our Bok women have qualified for the World Cup, now SA must support them

It wasn’t that long ago that Banyana Banyana had every South African sports fan cheering them on at the Women’s Football World Cup in New Zealand where they reached the last-16 round, inspiring many a young footballer to take up the game.

Also, our women’s Proteas team reached the final of the T20 World Cup in Cape Town, proving to be heroes to all the young cricketing girls in our country.

Less than a year on, and the South African’s women’s rugby team have qualified for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England in 2025 and while history tells us they may not scare any of the big teams, making it to the “finals” is a great achievement and may they, too, inspire the young rugby-loving girls in our country.

The team coached by former Springbok flyhalf Louis Koen and captained by Nolusindiso Booi don’t get a lot of attention or recognition by the sporting public, but SA Rugby do a great job in promoting them and all their games and achievements, so well done to them for that.

The Bok Women’s team are again champions of Africa, having won the tournament in Antananarivo in Madagascar at the weekend, going through their six-match fixture schedule unbeaten. And that with many team regulars missing from the squad.

‘We play to inspire’

“Qualifying for the Rugby World Cup is a massive boost to all involved and I can only thank the stakeholders, players and management who walked this journey together. The game can only grow and improve from here,” said a delighted Koen after the tournament.

Booi added: “We play to inspire the next girl or woman to pick up a rugby ball and I think this win and qualifying for the Rugby World Cup will mean so much to those who want to see the game grow.

“We are on the big stage and belong there, so the next steps are important. We laid the foundation for the next phase and it is so exciting to be part of it. Credit to the players, but so much praise must go to the coaches who prepared us so well for this.”

South Africa’s women have qualified for four World Cups, in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2021, where they have finished 12th, 10th, 10th and 11th.

We wish them well for the months of preparation that lie ahead and who knows, perhaps they’ll surprise us all in England in 2025.