Few pundits in the women’s game would argue with the statement that the Springbok Women had been very fortunate to have at least half a dozen hookers of international quality around over the last couple of seasons.
In fact, in Lindelwa Gwala they have the most capped hooker in the green and gold; Roseline Botes and Luchell Hanekom played at the last two Women’s Rugby World Cups; and Mike Gunter is one of two Springbok Women plying their trade in England’s Women’s Premiership, playing for the Leicester Tigers Women.
A more recent addition to the congested list of contenders for the No 2 jersey is Anushka Groenewald.
The 21-year-old from the Brackenfell Rugby Club has been shooting the lights out in 2026 to such a degree that she was involved in 10 of the 11 tests played by the Bok Women this year.
Come Saturday and the WXV Global Series test match against Ireland at Athlone Stadium, Groenewald is likely to feature again and although deeply grateful for her other caps, the one she would treasure most.
If Groenewald’s name is – as expected – on the team sheet to be announced on Thursday, it will be a first test in the Mother City for the former pupil of DF Akademie in the northern suburbs, something she has been hoping for since she took up the game in her final year at school.
“I have played in 13 tests, but as last year’s three were sort of standalone in the Rugby Africa Cup in Madagascar, this year was bumper to bumper against the likes of the USA, Fiji, Wales, Italy and Spain, which was great and not something I anticipated at the start of the season,” said Groenwald.
“This dream season will go full circle if I am part of the squad to play Ireland on Saturday.
“To play at home will be unreal. It is always nice to hear from family and friends on the phone that you played well, but this time it will come from them standing in front of me, in real time. That will be such a special moment for me.”
AMAZING CROWD SUPPORT
The Springbok Women are facing a strong Ireland outfit, ranked fifth in the world, but for Groenewald home ground advantage will be as much a factor as the world rankings are.
“I have never played at Athlone Stadium, but how well did the crowd not support the Springbok Women there over the last three years,” she said.
“It was amazing to see the crowds getting bigger and bigger over time and hopefully, come Saturday, we will have a proper crowd in that will be supporting the Springbok Women. That would be amazing if we can beat them in front of our faithful fans.”
“We have the belief and the will to be victorious and if the crowd also rocks up in numbers to support us, it could be a remarkable afternoon for the Springbok Women.”
Meanwhile, Thandile Mazwi – whose last test was as a replacement against Fiji in Suva in August – and the uncapped Anothando Katshwa, who was invited to train with the squad for the series, have been drafted into the squad as replacements for Babalwa Latsha and Nombuyekezo Mdliki, who were ruled out of the Ireland series due to injury.
Furthermore Anuschka Ekron, who was a member of the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup squad, will also join the squad for training this week.