With an experienced and dynamic captain who has made a name for herself on the international level as a Springbok player, a number of players who have been called up to the Women’s Springbok training camp and talented new players the Sanlam Boland Dames rugby team are set to make their mark in the Women’s Premier League.
The Boland Dames kicked off their season on a high note, winning their first two matches with scores that clearly showed their dominance – their first game was against the Golden Lions whom they defeated 57-20 and they won their second match with a score of 59 points versus the five points scored by the EP Queens. Both matches were played in Wellington.
The Boland Dames team captain, Aseza “Blommie” Hele, who made her first Springbok debut in 2018 and was named the SA Rugby Women’s Achiever of the Year in 2019, scored five of the team’s nine tries against the Lions.
Unfortunately, the Dames’ undefeated streak came to an end over the weekend when the Bulls Daisies defeated them 50-22 in Wellington on Saturday.
Nomawethu Mabenge, Theresa “Trixie” Ruiters, Lulu Tyibilika and Macaela Samboya all scored tries for the Dames while Lara Schats converted one try.
Anita Tom, Boland Dames’ tight head prop and the captain of the Walker Bay Women’s rugby team was called up to the Springbok training camp. Other Boland Dames who were called up to the week-long Springbok training last week are Veroeshka Grain, Macaela Samboya, Nompumelelo Mathe, Nomawethu Mabenge and Felicia Jacobs.
Grain, a former captain of the DHL Western Province women’s rugby team, has proudly worn the green and gold for both the Springbok Sevens and the 15-a-side Springbok Rugby World Cup teams on a number of occasions. She was also part of the SA sevens side that competed in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Boland Dames team manager Michelle Bosch reports that the team has eight new talented, up-and-coming players – Mihlali Mqweba (5), Ropa Madyah (7), Lara Schats (10), Makoele Kamohelo (loose head and tight head), Ncediswa Mahijana (loose head), Zena Swart, Ayaka Soga and Sinalo Ziqwayi
Madyah rejoined the Boland Dames after spending a year with the Lions. Swart, who ran out for the Junior Springbok team in 2022, also made her comeback after taking a year-long break.
Ziqwayi (22), who started playing club rugby for the Walker Bay Women’s Rugby Club (Walkerbabes) only last year and was number 3 on the Top 8 list of point makers in the Club Division, scored one try in her debut match for the Boland Dames against the EP Queens.
Bosch added that Schats, the flyhalf, and Soga, the scrum half, are valuable additions to the team as Schats is “an excellent kicker” while Soga is an “outstanding playmaker”.
The team’s fitness, hard work and dedication, said Bosch, combined with the invaluable input from their head coach Thomas Chowles and assistant coach Danver August, are what she believes will ensure their success in their Premier Division campaign.
“Most of our Boland Dames players stay in the High Performance house in Hermanus, something that we are greatly thankful to our sponsors for as this contributes to the cohesion and spirit of the team,” Bosch added.
She, however, revealed that the Walkerbabes will not be hosting the annual Women’s Sevens Rugby Tournament that has become a highlight on the calender, drawing women’s rugby teams from across the country and even as far as Zimbabwe and Mozambique.. The Dames will take on the Border Ladies this weekend (Saturday 15 February).
