Tour boosts Bok women for 2022 World Cup

Though they only won one game on tour, newcomers made experience count

Springbok Women captain Nolusindiso “Cindy” Booi says her side are not far from winning important matches as preparations for the 2022 Rugby World Cup intensify after their end-of-year tour.

The Bok women are coming off an England tour where they played France, Wales, England U20, and the Barbarians Women at Twickenham.

On tour they lost four games and won one.

Booi captained the team for the first time since 2018, and the return of the influential captain was welcomed by many in SA Rugby after she overcame a long-term injury.

She had game time in the Women’s Premier Division and did not take part in the series against Kenya, as measures to ease her back to international rugby were in place.

Stanley Raubenheimer had plans to recall her for the outing and use her experience against some of the best teams in the northern hemisphere.

Now back at home in Cape Town, the former Border Women captain spoke to the Dispatch and reflected on the tour.

The highlight for Booi was making a return to Test rugby.

“It was something big because to come back from an injury is not easy, and to play at the level you used to and captain the team.

“I was nervous and excited, because I knew it would not be easy.

“We played a team like France, which is one of the top teams. I enjoyed myself as, for someone coming from an injury, it was big,” Booi said.

With Booi being the captain and one of the most experienced players in the camp, she had to play the role of guiding new players who had been introduced to the Bok system.

Newcomers like Libbie Janse van Rensburg, Nadine Roos,

Amahle Nyoba and Roseline Botes all impressed Booi with how they fitted in and had the heart to learn from the more experienced players.

“In our team we have values that we follow,” Booi said.

“With the young players it is normally difficult, but with the ones we have now it was not. Everyone was there to learn and experience what might happen when we go to the World Cup.

“They were willing to learn. As someone leading them I had no problems,” she said.

In the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand, SA will be in the same pool as England, France and Fiji.

They have an uphill battle if they are to progress from the group, as England and France are ranked number one and three respectively.

The recent tour was an indicator of where the Springbok Women team are and Booi believes they are not far from being able to topple the leading

Test nations at the World Cup.

“The tour was important. It had been a long time since we played against big teams.

“We have young and experienced players; there was something for everyone. We were able to bond and understand how we play and the opponents we’ll face,” she said.

“We are not far from being the team that can win games. With the way we are training and the coaching we receive, we are not that far behind.”