".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."

"And for the first time, I saw how my own music had the power to connect with different races. In those spaces it didn't matter that I was black. It didn't matter that I was young. It didn't matter that I was female. It was just beautiful music. And it gave me a taste and the possibility of freedom, I think."

"Because so many of our players are professional, and because they don’t have to worry about things like a second job or worrying about when they can train, we can work on things on the scrum, the line-out, the maul."

"I wanted to be the best player. I had to; I have a son to look after. If I play well he eats well."

"For this World Cup, I just want to make my mark. After this tournament, I want people to talk about me. When I was playing u18, I started to dream about playing for the Springboks. Later I heard about the World Cup and then I set my mind on that"

"I also want to be part of building pathways for younger girls so that when they pick up a rugby ball, they already see a future in the sport."

"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"

"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"

"My personal goals are to keep growing as a player and leader and to continue representing South Africa in both sevens and fifteens."

"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 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."

"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"

"In terms of style we bring physicality, passion and flair that’s uniquely South African. We want people to look at us and see a team carving a legacy of heart, strength and pride in green and gold."

"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"

"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"

"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."

"The mood in the squad has been amazing heading into the new season. Playing for this team on its own carries a lot of pressure because we have set ourselves a very high standard. That means we have to push even harder to stay at the top."

"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"

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

"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"

"Going on that inward journey has led me to this point where I feel I need to share my story for the benefit of others. To explore my individual voice apart from the collective."

"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"

"My mom died when I was six. My fondest memory of her was colouring in. She taught me to colour in the lines. I felt so safe, like I was infinitely loved. When she died, I struggled to find a new way to colour in the lines."

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

"As a human being, your priorities change, naturally, when you have kids, if you are consciously parenting. Things change. By definition, your identity changes as well, particularly if you’re a mother."

"I think that this thing of men being the leaders and women having to follow is going to go away. In many parts of the world, it’s the rule of law that men and women should take the lead even though it’s very difficult in societies to find it that way. But in our band, we see each other as equals and my role in the band is my role in the band, so one can’t argue about that simply because I am a woman."

"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."

"We are all different and the most successful artists are those who come up with something unique."

"I've got a new story. A new chapter - deliberately created. In this part I show respect for myself and my world."

"I also just think that in general about life, whatever you experience feeds into whatever you end up doing."

"So, nature is a very big influence for me and conservation is close to my heart."

"Our world is changing. The old stories have worn thin. We're telling new stories now. We're creating new realities: ones which inspire and give us true power."

"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"

"The mandate is clear—win every trophy we lost. It starts with winning COSAFA because that puts us in a strong position to compete for the CAF Women’s Champions League title. If we get another shot at competing Continentally, I believe we will perform better because we have already experienced that level"

"Too often, we like to think of ourselves as somehow being separate from nature when the truth is we belong to nature."

"Overcoming is not a one step process."

"We need to own our space. We need to own our career. We need to own our creativity. We need to know that it's possible."

"If you don't invest in yourself, who do you expect to do that?"

"I do believe in love—as a verb. Not as some airy-fairy feeling. As a verb. As something you do, you think and you speak."

"Accept your situation; that way, you can figure out how to navigate it from an empowered space."

"Make small goals – ones that you can see yourself attaining – and celebrate each step of the way. You’re alive. Life wants you to be, and that’s got to count for something. Appreciate life."

"We stayed on our toes, even during the festive period. We were given individual programs to maintain our fitness and keep the momentum going. Having an early preseason has also been a big advantage, giving us more time to get ready."

"Our mindset is to stay focused, disciplined and also be consistent with everything we are doing, not stopping our physicality going direct to them"

"The World Cup preparations are really going well, the intensity in training has been high, there’s strong sense of focus and unity in the group."

"The World Cup, however, is a whole new level and requires even more of us. Not only will we participate, but we want to compete, proudly represent Africa, and push ourselves to the limit"

"It's important that we build on last weekend’s performance. Our mindset is to stay focused, disciplined and also be consistent with everything we are doing, not stopping our physicality going direct to them."

"I believe we’re moving in the right direction, and starting not to hold back against New Zealand."

"Certainly, we get a boost from representing Africa as champions at the World Cup. It's a reminder of what we can do if we remain committed, united, and believe in ourselves"