Women From South Africa

"Rugby has changed my life, and for the best, I don’t come from a great background, but with rugby, I know how to take care of my family and myself. There are a lot of things that rugby has changed for me. I am very grateful that I chose this sport. It came into my life and did good things."

"We’ve developed an edge- a competitive edge. There’s just an overall better understanding as to what it means to be a professional athlete. All these factors contribute to the quality of the group that we are now and to where we’re headed."

"We understand that we come from various different backgrounds, but we are able to have a beautiful melting pot of different cultures and different characters even. We tap into that and embrace that because we are South African."

"You get to experience other cultures through it. There are different cultures around the world that you can learn from"

"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 think the reason I went for rugby is because people were asking, ‘Why would a woman take up rugby?’ That is why I went for it."

"They would say, ‘It is a man-dominated sport.’ I wanted something that would challenge me, something different from netball and soccer — something that was different. They say rugby is not for women."

"The knowledge that I can compete at this level was just such a boost and for me the biggest achievement of my life. Look, no prop scrums alone, so it is not about me, but it was great to force my opponent to concede penalties and for our forwards to enjoy dominance over a highly-rated French pack."

"It won’t be easy, but it’s the journey that shapes you and builds your character. Along the way, you’ll be reminded of your ‘why,’ and that’s what will keep you going."

"They always have something to say about playing rugby, but it is a sport for all sizes and shapes. Anyone is welcome to play rugby because it accommodates everyone."

"And I want to assist in mauls, make tackles, and carry the ball. The nice thing about all of that is that I can do so with my team and when we play together, we get things done."

"I want to create spaces where young people are seen, heard, and inspired to take up space."

"Just start! Whether it’s watching games, writing, taking pictures, or even starting a YouTube channel, begin where you are."

"I can an really look back at this day for a long time. Here I was, being part of the opening match of the World Cup and when the action began, I felt at home."

"I enjoy the freedom. You can do anything you want on the field, provided it is legal. Maybe if you have anger issues, you can sort that out. There are a lot of things, and you have fun while doing them."

"It is always great to have a coach that allows you to play what you see.We have structure, but within that structure you must see what options are open. It’s great that we are allowed to play heads up rugby, either at centre or flyhalf."

"But God’s timing is always the best because this time I feel I am better prepared physically. I’m well and feeling good. I am excited to go there and have this experience"

"If I was deeper, then the rest of the team would have more time on the ball. It's a small thing that can make a huge difference."

"There are going to be a lot of people with a lot of experience at the tournament. I will learn through them. Seeing players that I look up to there is going to be something else. I want to enjoy every moment"

"I think if I can play flyhalf against the No 2 in the world, then it should become easier. I was very humbled in that position. I learned a lot."

"I put myself under pressure by standing too flat. Just knowing when to be a little deeper, because they had a rush defence, which put us under a bit of pressure"

"But because of my body shape, people kept saying, ‘you need to play, you need to play’. I was 18. I just thought, ‘why not’. So I tried. And the rest is history."

"We saw that when we play as a team, we can be unstoppable, even against a top side like Canada. That self-belief is growing every day, and we do have the luxury of testing that against the New Zealand side who are also going to put up a massive fight. So, it is exciting times for all."

"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 coaches are really doing a great job in getting us battle-ready and fine-tuning our strengths"

"I hope it inspires young girls in South Africa. We’re seeing more players coming into the system, and I want them to feel like they can beat my record, become the most capped Springbok, or set new standards for the game."

"We played both WXV 2 tournaments at Athlone and that resulted in us getting a regular crowd of people coming to watch our games. We hope they will all be out there again on the weekend and even better, bring a plus one along. That will be awesome to have a good crowd in supporting us"

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

"When I started playing rugby, I never thought I’d be the first player to score 100 points, let alone 200. But I’m very proud to say I’ve achieved that."

"I never thought that I would end up playing sevens, and then I was playing it. The same happened with the 15s and me going to England. The world of rugby just opened up to me, and I had to go through those doors. When I raised my hand, I felt it was the right step for me. It was exciting times"

"I loved rowing but it was the same thing over and over again. The excitement wasn’t there for me, and as rugby was packed with thrilling new challenges, it made it easier for me to make a decision"

"I got an email from Lewis Sones (Saracens Women’s Performance Pathway Manager), and I thought it was a scam at first glance. I showed it to our High Performance Manager, Lynne Cantwell, and she said she would look into it."

"But I want to tell girls that it’s OK to look how you look. I am grateful for my strength. I use my strength to push for my country. Why would I not be proud of that?"

"I always say I’m my granny’s daughter. My mom was around, but she worked far away. It was my granny who raised me. She taught me discipline and how to be soft, but also when to be strong."

"At some point I had to make a choice: keep rowing or devote (my life) to rugby. My parents wanted me to stay with the former, but I really wanted the rugby dream."

"I struggled mentally in the first season, as I was not used to the weather or the food. It was a complete change of pace for me. I missed home, my family and friends. However, I learnt so much in that first season, and my Sarries teammates helped me every step of the way."

"Flyhalf is a new position for me. I play 13 for the Border Bulldogs. I think I played one game (at No 10) for them. It’s a fairly new position, didn’t quite go as planned, so I still need to learn a lot in that position, especially about keeping calm."

"I’ve always loved the idea of youth athletic development, as of recently I have been thinking about considering going the forwards coach route and there is also sport psychology. Honestly, I have no clear plan yet, but I’m excited about the possibilities, and I have to admit that it’s kind of scary"

"A lot of things have been put in place so we can get better. In the past, I would have been screaming that the rugby unions can do better, and while they can still do better, I’m witnessing some great things and I am appreciative of the effort."

"When we finished playing [against France], I saw a big sign saying, 'Hele, can I swap shirts with you?I asked him to come through, and I said I'd meet him at the gate when I came out.I didn't swap with any of the French girls because I had kept my shirt for him. And when I got there, he was waiting and smiling. That really warmed my heart. I thought 'Aseza, you are doing good.I've inspired young boys, not just girls. It warmed my heart to make someone's dream come true."

"I have always felt like my strength and conditioning journey only started when I got into the national team. Prior to that, I was just playing rugby without a clue in the world that I had to condition myself. Injuries were a common thing for me and I always think that not having that information was so unnecessary."

"I would like to help in youth development, I want to be able to help young athletes optimise their abilities and just to have the information on how to do that as they develop."

"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."

"Rugby has changed my life. I am the person I am today because of where I came from and the choices I made.Now, I'm able to feed my family because of rugby. I have my car because of rugby. My first flight was because of rugby."

"I think the biggest ‘work on’ for me is focusing on my attack. I think I focused a lot on defence over the last couple of years and I’ve grown so much confidence in that space, but now I want to be an all-round play"

"A lot of the girls have PWR Cup games under their belt and we’re just excited to set our standards and a platform and then work from there and see where we’re at as a squad. I am definitely excited for what’s to come and I am excited to be playing in this league."

"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"

"If ever, like, I get the opportunity to go to a World Cup again, that is something I would really want to do, just to be part of a group that would bring a cup home."

"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."

"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."