The Springbok women made a promising debut as core members of the HSBC SVNS Series, leaving the Emirates Dubai Sevens with a sense of accomplishment and positive takeaways from their inaugural display.
Head coach Renfred Dazel expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly as he anticipated challenges on the second day of the competition. Dazel remarked, “I knew the second day would be tough for us, as the bodies were sore and we have one or two injuries after yesterday, and we then had to do it all over again. We did that, so I am very proud. Finishing tenth when we were ranked 12th is a huge positive for me.” 
He emphasized the establishment of a performance baseline and the importance of maintaining consistency in upcoming tournaments. Dazel stated, “We know we will be competitive in the series; we saw that in Dubai. The next step is to back that up in the next tournament, which comes quickly with the Cape Town Sevens. If we can be consistent in our performances, we will achieve our goal, which is to have a top eight finish in this year’s series.”
Despite some setbacks, the South African team secured their first tournament win in the series by defeating Spain, ultimately finishing tenth after a closely contested ninth-placed final against Japan.
Co-captain Mathrin Simmers highlighted the team’s progress and expressed confidence in their future endeavors. She acknowledged, “We wanted to make sure we do well, as that would give us some confidence and comfort that we indeed belong in this elite competition. We now feel much better about that and are looking towards the future with confidence.”
Reflecting on the tournament, forward Rights Mkhari emphasized the squad’s growth in recent months and the importance of setting a standard for themselves. Mkhari said, “As a team, we did well, we really fought for each other and left nothing out on the field, we also came so close in a couple of games.”
Despite falling short in the final against Japan, Mkhari remains positive about the team’s upcoming performance in the Cape Town Sevens, anticipating strong support from fans.
In the ninth-placed final, Japan outplayed South Africa with two tries to one, capitalizing on early defensive challenges faced by the SA women. The Cape Town tournament is now seen as a significant opportunity for the team to build on their positive performances in Dubai.