Who are the Springbok Women?

The Springbok Women are South Africa’s national women’s rugby union team. The side played its first Test in 2004 and made its Women’s Rugby World Cup debut in 2006. Since then, the team has become an increasingly important part of South Africa’s rugby system.

The biggest breakthrough came at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, when South Africa reached the quarter-finals for the first time in its history. The Springbok Women eventually lost 46-17 to defending champions New Zealand, but reaching the last eight represented a major step forward for the programme.

As of September 2026, the team is led by co-head coaches Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September, who took charge after Swys de Bruin left his position in September. Tighthead prop Babalwa Latsha is the current captain. She is the most-capped Springbok Women tighthead prop and has led the team during the 2026 season.

The squad also features established internationals such as fly-half Libbie Janse van Rensburg, alongside a younger generation of players emerging through South Africa’s provincial rugby system. The programme has also continued to introduce new talent through alignment camps, giving uncapped players opportunities to work with the national setup.

One of the defining features of the current squad is therefore its mixture of experience and emerging talent. For South Africa, developing that wider player pool is an important part of building a team capable of competing more consistently against the leading nations.

What do the Springbok Women play for?

International rugby is the main focus of the Springbok Women’s calendar, with the team competing in continental championships and regular Test matches against leading rugby nations.

The Rugby Africa Women’s Cup is the Springbok Women’s main continental competition. South Africa has dominated the tournament in recent years and won the title for a fifth consecutive time in May 2026.

Playing in Nairobi, the Springbok Women defeated Madagascar 64-5, Uganda 47-20 and Kenya 35-20. The victory over Kenya secured South Africa’s fifth straight title and extended its run as the leading team in African women’s rugby.

The team also plays regular Test matches against opponents from outside Africa. In July 2026, South Africa faced the USA Women’s Eagles in a two-Test series. The Springbok Women won the opening match 34-21 before the USA responded with a 26-19 victory in the second Test, leaving the series level at 1-1.

In August, South Africa travelled to Fiji for another two-Test series. The Springbok Women won the opening match 55-12 in Suva before completing a 2-0 series victory with a 29-22 win in Lautoka.

The team then faced one of its biggest challenges of the year when the Black Ferns, New Zealand’s national women’s team, travelled to Johannesburg. The sides met at FNB Stadium on 5 September, with New Zealand winning 52-20. South Africa scored four tries and competed strongly in several areas, particularly during the forward exchanges.

What is coming up?

The next major stage of the Springbok Women’s season is the WXV Global Series.

In 2026, World Rugby introduced a new format featuring the world’s top 12 ranked women’s teams in a home-and-away touring model across an eight-week international window. The participating nations are Australia, Canada, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, USA and Wales.

For South Africa, the series begins with a match against Wales in Cardiff on 18 September. The Springbok Women will then face Italy in Pordenone on 26 September, before travelling to Spain for a Test against Spain in Seville on 4 October.

South Africa will then return home for two matches against Ireland in Cape Town on 24 and 31 October.

The Ireland fixtures are particularly notable because the two nations have met only once before. Their previous encounter came at the 2006 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Canada, when Ireland won 37-0. The two upcoming Tests will therefore be only the second meetings between the countries.

The second half of 2026 is consequently an important period for a South African side looking to build on its historic 2025 World Cup campaign and establish itself among the stronger teams in the international game.

Where can you follow the springbok women?

The best place to follow the team is SA Rugby’s official website, where supporters can find team news, squad announcements, player profiles, fixtures and results. The SA Rugby Match Centre also provides information on live and completed matches.

For international competitions, World Rugby is another important source. Its website provides tournament news, fixtures, match information and coverage of the global women’s game, including the WXV Global Series.

Broadcast availability depends on the competition and territory. In South Africa, many Springbok Women Tests are available on SuperSport, although broadcast arrangements can vary between competitions. The September 2026 Test against New Zealand, for example, was covered by the network.

For newcomers, following SA Rugby’s official channels is the simplest way to keep track of the team. Check the fixture list before each international window, look out for squad announcements and use the Match Centre for results and match statistics.

Why should new fans watch?

The Springbok Women are one of the more interesting teams to follow in international women’s rugby. Their historic 2025 World Cup quarter-final showed how far the programme has progressed, while their 2026 schedule has given the team further opportunities to test itself against strong opposition from outside Africa.

For a new supporter, there is also a straightforward story to follow: South Africa has dominated the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in recent years, but its next challenge is to compete more consistently with the world's leading teams.

With Babalwa Latsha leading the side, a mixture of experienced internationals and emerging provincial talent, and a demanding WXV Global Series still ahead, the Springbok Women enter the final months of 2026 with plenty to play for.

Sources

  • South African Rugby Union — Springbok Women team page and official
  • team information.

South African Rugby Union — 2026 Springbok Women squad and season updates.

South African Rugby Union — 2026 Rugby Africa Women’s Cup results.

South African Rugby Union — USA and Fiji Test series reports.

World Rugby — WXV Global Series 2026.

World Rugby — 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup coverage.