"I hope South Africa will keep growing the game at the grassroots level so that we see more opportunities and investment in our athletes. The talent and passion is there – it’s now about building a structure that gives every young girl a chance to reach her potential"

"If you stay consistent and keep working even when no one is watching, opportunities will come. I want young girls to see us and know that it’s possible – whether it’s rugby, studies or something else entirely, you can break barriers"

"My priority is to help the team concede fewer goals so we can win more games. But football is evolving and defenders now play a crucial role in attacking too. I want to improve my ability to push forward, create opportunities and even score more goals."

"We feel that we represented our nation with honour. We gave everything that we could and at least out of the three games, we scored two goals and gained a point against the defending champions South Africa. That is something. Our plan is to come back to the WAFCON"

"I want girls to know their dreams are valid, no matter where they start. I was once a young girl with a dream too and it took years of work, setbacks and faith to get there."

"We respect the Springbok name deeply, but we also know that we’re writing our own story within it. We want to be known for our resilience, unity and courage"

"I think it was a message that the Springbok Women belong at the highest level. It means that young girls can dream bigger and the country can start to see the true potential of women’s rugby."

"On the field, it’s about composure, showing younger players that you can handle pressure, stick to the system and still express yourself"

"Off the field, it’s about being approachable, sharing knowledge and making them feel supported in moments of doubt"

"To finally see it pay off on a stage like the RWC felt like a testimony to God’s grace and our team’s resilience. For women’s rugby in South Africa, it was so much bigger than just us"

"It also taught me resilience because in sevens you can be down and out in one minute but turn the game around the next. Those lessons have translated into 15s, especially at the World Cup, where the stakes are so high."

"It’s about keeping composure, adapting to what’s in front of you and the skill be it passing, tackling and quickly bouncing back up into the game"

"You know they will test every part of your game. For us, the key was discipline and structure. We couldn’t get caught up in their tempo or play on emotion alone"

"It was a mix of joy and gratitude. Personally, I thought back to all the years of sacrifice, challenges faced and the faith that kept me going when the road wasn’t easy"

"If you want the help, go get the help."

"I don’t put pressure on myself."

"I am not scared to say I go for help when I want help, because I think that should be on top of everybody’s list."

"Sevens teaches you to live in those high-pressure moments, there’s no room to hide, every second counts and each decision can change the game"

"Our physicality is always a strength, but it needed to be applied smartly with dominating collisions, slowing their ball and staying patient"

"I will sprint but I don’t like it. It’s so difficult, I tell people every day I give sprinters a lot of credit because whenever I sprint I feel so much pain."

"That environment sharpened my ability to make quick decisions, manage space effectively and maintain intensity over long periods"

"I mean, equity is what it’s about in business. For them to be able to have equity at this young of age, I think that that’s power.”"

"The trick for the weekend will be to look to what we want to achieve and to go out there and enjoy it."

"That's the main reason, or part of, why I'm here – that I can provide for my family and I can provide for myself being in this environment"

"It will be good for us to train against France, as they are in the middle of their current campaign and will be full of speed and intensity, whilst we have not played together since the WXV. Also, as you can see, the weather is quite nice now to play rugby"

"So, yes, this environment does not require me to go and look for work, this is my work. And every rugby player would appreciate that, especially for women in the country"

"My goal is to build myself as a reliable player and solidify my spot on the national squad. Make myself a consistent player and join the team for the 2025 World Cup."

"What we did see against the New Zealanders in Cape Town was that our physicality is tough to live with, and that gives us confidence for the weekend."

"We have prepared well for this one and we have showed that we can play with the best. This is what this tournament is all about, proving that we belong."

"I went to the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and that's where I started playing rugby in my final year. My mom did not want me to play any sport before I got my degree and qualification."

"Although there have been notable advancements in women’s sport sponsorship, more work remains until women’s sports are on level with men’s sports. I think the following actions can be made to guarantee that more funds are allocated to supporting female athletes."

"Increased internet and television coverage of women’s sports can draw in new sponsors, viewers, and sources of income. It is important to encourage sponsors to develop focused advertising strategies that highlight the distinctive qualities and experiences of female athletes"

"But she was happy with me playing as soon as rugby wanted to pay for my tertiary fees, so that's how I started playing, and I played for the Sharks for over nine years before I now joined the Bulls Daisies"

"I grew up with two older brothers who excelled at every single thing. And so, their shadows were very large and daunting at times."

"You're gonna live longer than the ball is bouncing, God willing, and so there's a whole lot of life after basketball. So you kinda have to learn how to be a good human and, I can't think of a better person than coach Summitt that modeled that."

"Organisations ought to launch targeted campaigns and programs aimed at assisting female athletes and women’s sports. Governments as well as companies can fund grassroots initiatives, top athlete development, and the infrastructure of women’s sports. The idea that women’s sports are truly less important or marketable must be eliminated."

"At the same time, speed and fitness had to come into play, especially in transitions. If I had to choose one thing it was our discipline and structure. That gave us a foundation to compete, to stick to our plan and to trust each other in the big moments"

"I believe our chances will greatly improve if we can get six to eight players playing in Europe, South Africa or elsewhere. The exposure of playing abroad is massive, and it will greatly improve our rugby"

".I don’t know if I will miss touch or drop a high ball, but what I do know is that I will leave nothing out there. I will play my heart out on that field, in honour of all who made this possible."

"Making my Springbok Women debut last year was an absolute dream come true! It was a moment I had worked towards for years, and to finally wear the green and gold jersey was an incredible honour."

"My immediate goals are to absorb as much as I can from the coaches, senior players, and the team’s culture. I want to develop a deeper understanding of the team’s playing style, strategies, and expectations."

"There were so many emotions and thank yous that flooded me, It will be such a special occasion for me, but emotions aside, I have a job to do out there"

"In fact, at one stage that year I almost quit, but I realised that criticism towards me was not personal, but to improve as a player"

"I am a quiet person, but was told that I had to become more forceful in communicating if I wanted to succeed on the field of play. Once I understood not to take it personally and to actually do that, I became a better player"

"Even though women’s rugby is becoming more and more popular, there is still a big support and sponsorship imbalance. It is more difficult for female athletes to find support since many potential sponsors give preference to men’s sport."

"It made me realise that I was noticed by the national coaches and the fire to one day play for the Springbok Women was burning bright after that"

"When I played in my first game, with the encouragement of Father Gérard and Mr Clarke, I immediately felt the sense of belonging"

"I was at ease with the sport from the start and from then on, rugby became a very important aspect of my life. When I first made the Sharks team, I realised what rugby could mean for me and started to really invest back into the game."