The Springbok Women’s Sevens rugby team beat Belgium 17-14 in the final of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series and secured their place in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series for 2024 for the first time. This is according to Elizabetha Janse van Rensburg, who scored the winning try for the Springboks.
This was the first year the Challenger Series was held in Stellenbosch, with the final played on 30 April, according to the World Rugby website.
Belgium almost claimed victory, but lost in the final moments due to a try from Janse van Rensburg, SMF News reported from the match. “I’m really proud of what the girls did and how they performed,” said Shari Claes, number eight for the Belgium Women’s Sevens rugby team.
“We see women’s rugby is really growing – not only in South Africa but around the world,” said Liske Lategan, number 12 for the Springbok Women’s Sevens Rugby team. Pictured above is Eloise Webb tackling Belgium’s Nele Pien in the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series final on 30 April. PHOTO: Amy Cloete
A huge incentive
The victory allows the women to enter the HSBC Series for a year, said Paul Stubbs, a rugby commentator for SuperSport who commentated during the tournament. This is a “huge incentive”, as it allows the women to be exposed to “consistent professional competition [against the world’s top teams]”, Stubbs told SMF News. .
“I think the ladies went out today and we showed once again why we deserve a spot in the HSBC Sevens Series,” said Janse van Rensburg in an interview with SMF News.
“It was absolutely amazing. I knew what my job was coming off the bench, having to ‘lift the spirits’, that’s the instruction I received from the coach,” said Elizabetha Janse van Rensburg, who scored the winning try for the Springbok Women’s Sevens Rugby team in the final of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series on 30 April. PHOTO: Amy Cloete
Opening doors
“Our sevens programme has been fighting the last couple of years. It’s been tough for the ladies,” said Janse van Rensburg. The Springboks have always “just fall[en] short”, but are finally able to say they have “achieved [their] goal of going to play in the HSBC World Sevens Series”, stated Janse van Rensburg.
Entering the HSBC Series presents the women with the opportunity to play as “professional athletes”, rather than the “semi-professional” title they currently hold, said Stubbs. The consistency of that type of competition has the ability to “change the entire make-up of a sporting system”, explained Stubbs.
The win was a “big and special moment”, not only because of what it means for the team but also because it allows them to “inspir[e] young girls coming through [the rugby ranks]”, said Liske Lategan, number 12 for the Springboks.
“I think the ladies went out today and we showed once again why we deserve a spot in the HSBC [World Rugby] Sevens Series,” said Elizabetha Janse van Rensburg, who scored the winning try for the Springbok Women’s Sevens Rugby team. PHOTO: Amy Cloete