Nine players from South Africa’s previous IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign are amongst the final squad of 26 confirmed by SARU on Friday for the 2010 event in England.
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Mandisa Williams of Eastern Province will captain the team.
This year’s tournament features 12 teams and will be held from August 20 to September 5 at Surrey Sports Park in England.
South Africa will be determined to improve on their first World Cup outing in 2006, when the team finished in eighth place.
Coach Denver Wannies and the national selectors have worked hard during the past two seasons to retain and also to strengthen the core of the team.
Williams, Yolanda Meiring, Fundiswa Plaatjie, Cebisa Kula, Lamla Momoti, Saloma Booysen, Zandile Nojoko, Namhla Siyolo and Dolly Mavumengwa are the surviving members of the first SA World Cup challenge four years ago in Canada.
Livewire utility back Natasha Hoffmeester was not considered for selection because of injury. The SA Sevens stalwart recently underwent foot surgery which ruled her out of action for a few months.
Coach Wannies said he was looking forward to see the team in action at the World Cup in England.
“The players worked extremely hard and made huge sacrifices and their selection is just reward for their efforts. I am satisfied with our preparation so far but they know there’s still a lot of work to be done between now and when we leave for the UK on 15 August,” said Wannies.
SARU president Oregan Hoskins congratulated the players on their selection.
“The SA Women’s team have made great strides during the past two seasons,” said Hoskins.
“Our country has just completed a fantastic Soccer World Cup and we have showed we can deliver when it matters. Therefore, our national teams must realise they have a huge responsibility in terms of their general conduct and performances.
“I have no doubt they will made us extremely proud and, on behalf of Saru, I want to wish them well in their World Cup campaign,” said Hoskins.
The 2010 SA Women’s Rugby World Cup squad (in alphabetical order):
Backs:
Aimee Barrett (Western Province, fullback), Saloma Booysen (Eastern Province, scrumhalf), Lorinda Brown (Eastern Province, centre), Phumeza Gadu (Eastern Province, wing), Zenay Jordaan (Eastern Province, flyhalf), Charmaine Kayser (Eastern Province, centre), Yolanda Meiring (Blue Bulls, fullback), Zandile Nojoko (Eastern Province, fullback), Fundiswa Plaatjie (Border, scrumhalf), Cherne Roberts (Western Province, scrumhalf), Daphne Scheepers (Eastern Province, centre), Ziyanda Tywaleni (Border, wing)
Forwards:
Nolusindiso Booi (Border, lock), Nedene Botha (Western Province, prop), Nomathamsanqa Faleni (Eastern Province, flank), Laurian Johannes (Western Province, prop), Portia Jonga (Border, prop), Cebisa Kula (Eastern Province, prop), Dolly Mavumengwana (KwaZulu-Natal, lock), Nombulelo Mayongo (Free State, flank), Onicca Moaga (SANDF, lock), Lamla Momoti (Eastern Province, flank), Cynthia Poswa (Western Province, hooker), Donna Sidumbu (Eastern Province, hooker), Namhla Siyolo (Eastern Province, eigthman), Mandisa Williams (Border, flank)
Team Management:
Denver Wannies (head coach), Orna Prinsloo (team manager), Rhudolph Gerber (assistant coach – forwards), Kayalethu Malotana (assistant coach – forwards), Denzil van Heerden (conditioning coach), Tanushree Pillay (physiotherapist), Dr. Jacoba Lindique (team doctor), Anthony Heugh (technical analyst), Rayaan Adriaanse (communications manager)
Interesting facts about the SA Women’s RWC squad:
• EP with 12 have the most players in the squad, followed by WP (5) and Border (4)
• Nedene Botha is a Cape Town-based biokineticist
• Yolanda Meiring is a primary teacher
• Cherne Roberts is attached to the SA Navy and based in Simonstown
•Onicca Moago is a soldier in the SANDF
• Denver Wannies is a former Emerging Springbok Sevens coach – his team won the Tusker Safari Sevens in Kenya for 2 consecutive years in 2006/07
• Kayalethu Malotana played in one Test on the wing for the Springboks, against Spain at the 1999 IRB Rugby World Cup
• Denzil van Heerden is a former conditioning coach of the Springbok Sevens
• Tanushree Pillay is the physiotherapist for the Proteas Netball team and also Team South Africa (for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India)