"As an experience, you can’t beat that. I’m also excited to be able to take what I learn here back home into the national squad and impart my knowledge to help South African women’s rugby continue to grow. Giving back is always one of the reasons why I do what I do and why I play rugby."

"Being able to represent my country is a great honour, it’s one of those things that are really hard to describe but I know I want to do it to the best of my capabilities. I believe I’m not just representing my country but I’m representing the community that I come from, I’m representing my friends and my family, they celebrate me the most. They are what has made my journey even more meaningful"

"The joys: you can do what you love. I’m able to live my dream, which I know is a luxury. I know I’ve risen above so much history and I’m able to dream, that’s a beautiful thing."

"I’d love to be known as somebody who used her influence for the betterment of her people. I want to be remembered as somebody who fought for dignity for all, showed people love, a great mother and a wonderful partner."

"Playing the sport professionally always seemed like something very far from me considering that it was not professional for many years in my country. I have always been a hard worker, and somehow things aligned so that I could be where I am today"

"I came here for game time and I came here to play against other internationalists regularly in high quality matches. With so many internationals in the PWR after the World Cup the standard is likely to have gone up and that is exciting and a challenge we are ready for."

"I’ve always understood that we’re on this earth to do something and I’ve known that mine is to do with acting. I am constantly inspired by my love for the craft and the ability to tell beautiful stories through my work. Even though some characters are fictional, the stories I tell are not."

"It’s empowering to give a voice to the voiceless."

"The conversation is bigger than just fat people on screen, the conversation is bigger, deeper, and definitely political."

"Understanding that my talent can take me to places that my pocket cannot."

"I have been exposed to phenomenal opportunities and I’m not restricted to the confines of any geographic space. My talent is my passport throughout the world. My work fuels me and my purpose and I can channel the influence I gain into what I call spirit work, that’s an amazing thing to me."

"There isn’t too much adapting to do, rugby is all the same with different calls, Going into a national camp I just make sure that I am mentally ready because the level of intensity is on another level."

"Bringing South Africa together, inspiring young girls to dream big and lead."

"Fat-erasure is still a very tense conversation in casting rooms, and I believe that until we can all have the seemingly difficult conversations, and make bold choices that truly represent South Africa, we will continue to raise a society filled with unnecessary shame, a warped understanding of beauty and the striving for unrealistic aesthetic standards."

"I want to empower other women struggling with weight to see their health in a whole new light. I want them to embrace non-scale victories and understand their bodies inside and out. That’s where the real transformation happens — nourishing not only our bodies, but our minds and souls too."

"This campaign is about putting our bodies where our minds are at."

"I don't think it ever truly affected my self-esteem, but I have never been in a body I enjoy, and I sincerely hope to change that."

"As I neared the end of my studies, I knew that somehow I would be involved with rugby, be it on or off the field."

"The industry is still struggling to see plus size actors as romantic leads, or deep intricate story bearers who aren't there for just comic relief."

"Experiences are intersectional, so I cannot speak as if I understand the challenges facing every woman. That being said, young actresses are in a dangerous position when stepping into the industry. We are all hungry for work and there are predators in positions of power that do take advantage of that."

"Motherhood is such a beautiful journey. It’s so perfect. I love every bit of it. I love my baby boy to bits and pieces. Everything I do is for him and yes, I am very private. I feel like my privacy is me protecting my peace, and I have so much contentment in my little bubble, and I only come out when I have to do something and go straight back in. This is where I just shut out the noise and just live in my little bubble with my people, and that’s where my happiness lies."

"As an actor, I always love a challenge. Every character and job come with hurdles and overcoming them deepens my understanding and enjoyment of what I do."

"I wanted to convey that even in the most broken, abandoned places, both physically and emotionally, love and hope can still take root. Nature plays a big role in this story; as humanity fades, the Earth begins to heal."

"Working [in horror] is fun. It’s amazing. All that blood, and screaming, it’s just exciting! Watching it can be scary, but making it is so much fun."

"I think that’s very important for girls to know: You can be the hero. You can be the strong one in the film. I think it’s a good message for young women all over the world."

"I was a pretty serious teen. I thought it would be the end of the world if I did badly in a test."

"Directing is challenging. I commend all the wonderful directors out there. It takes a lot to drive a project forward."

"You don’t have to create something new. Just be in a conversation and then something new will arise."

"I was inspired by the idea of isolation and survival, but also by something deeper, what would the world look like without us? During lockdowns and global upheaval, it became clear how quickly nature reclaims space when human presence fades."

"I think university catches you at a very specific time in your life where you, yourself, are trying to figure out yourself."

"Initially, it was about survival. But as I developed the story, I realized that emotional survival is just as important, if not more so, than physical survival."

"There will be points where the work will not be magnificent and there will be moments when it comes back to itself again."

"They brought me back to enjoying every moment, seeing its beauty and embracing everything as an adventure"

"They just tore all the unnecessary details away from life. They got to the core of building a heart-to-heart connection and being there for one another. They ground me in who I am"

"It’s about becoming the queen of your life, instead of trying to be the queen for everyone else and fit into their boxes."

"We struggled through our obstacles, stood up after difficult times and gave hope to so many countries where equality is a struggle. This shows us that we are capable of great things and we are resilient"

"True beauty lies in how you affect other people"

"I did my master’s in philosophy and studied leadership coaching to develop a model for women who struggle with their self-confidence. I use this model in a lot of the keynote talks, workshops and seminars I do, and in the business talks I give with my husband"

"The fact [is] that we as humans don’t realise how much potential we have to do good, give and make things right. How amazing would it be if we all realised our potential"

"I believe that very often, we turn to people to crown us with a title – ‘you’re good enough’ or ‘you’re pretty enough’ – and we always wait for someone else to put that crown on our heads"

"We had to learn how to live in the present, and decided to embrace every season and moment"

"We tried to not overthink the goodbyes, but rather saw them as an opportunity for the heart to grow fonder again"

"The biggest lesson I learnt from being raised in a small town is that you might not have all the opportunities there, but when you do get one, you should grab it with both hands"

"It was all about what you look like, whereas pageants and Miss South Africa was more holistic. It’s about using your unique skills and talents to really make a difference"

"I am the University of the Free State’s first successful test tube baby. One of the greatest gifts anyone can receive is the gift of a healthy life. With my passion for giving, people and health, I will be able to contribute to one of the most important things any country desires: health for all"

"I’ve always wanted to be a doctor. Maybe because of the fact that I was a test-tube baby, maybe because of the fact that my parents were very passionate about health"

"The thing I will always remember from this experience is the different cultures I got to experience. We ate Thai food every night in [Maeya Nonthawan Thongleng] Miss Thailand’s room. The US is very popular for their sweets, so Miss USA [Elizabeth Safrit] brought a lot of sweets for us to try… Miss Australia [Courtney Thorpe] was probably my best friend – people actually said that we look alike. It’s so funny because she’s amazing at doing make-up and I was good at doing hair so we helped each other for the final"

"I’m a test-tube baby"

"It was a childhood dream that came true and as big an honor as it is, it is still a responsibility…But it’s also not the destination; it’s the beginning of a new journey"

"If you look at beauty, it fades. What we are working on is a legacy that will last beyond our lives. If you really look at what Miss World has achieved in raising millions of dollars for charities, you’ll see that we’re making a big difference in people’s lives."