Babalwa Latsha said the Springbok Women were determined to close off their international season on a strong note on Saturday when they meet Scotland for the second time this week at the City Park Stadium in Cape Town.
The Test will mark the Springbok Women’s sixth of the season, and with three wins – against Uganda, Madagascar and Kenya – and two defeats – against Spain and Scotland – Latsha, the team’s captain, said they are looking forward to running out in the series decider against Scotland.
“There is a buzz in the team and we are excited to face Scotland again,” said Latsha.
“It has been a learning and growing process for the team since we got together earlier this year, and I think we are on the right track. This is our last game of the year and we would really like to finish strongly, so this match is important to us.”
With most of the players in camp in Stellenbosch having made their Test debuts and the team well aware of what to expect from the visitors, who defeated them 47-5 on Monday, Latsha said they were ready to line up against Scotland again.
“We played against Scotland earlier in the week, so there won’t be an element of surprise on Saturday,” said the skipper.
“But over and above that we will be better prepared for the match after another week of being together. In terms of the bigger picture, however, we would like to deliver a quality performance that we can build from next season.”
After leaking eight tries in their last outing, Latsha said defence has been one of their main focus areas at training this week: “Our key improvement point has been our defence. We spent a lot of time on that area this week.
“We zoomed in on our errors and worked hard on trying to rectify them, and hopefully we have polished that area of our game sufficiently.
“Up-front we were quite strong in our last match, and we would also like to build on that, so we have worked hard across the board with an eye on delivering a good performance this weekend,” said Latsha.
Springbok Women’s coach Stanley Raubenheimer will announce his match-day squad for the clash on Friday. Saturday’s encounter kicks off at 15h00 and the action will be streamed live on www.springboks.rugby.
Scotland squad announced
Scotland Women Head Coach Philip Doyle has named his starting team for the second Test match against South Africa on Saturday at City Park Ground, Athlone, Cape Town.
Doyle has made four changes to his starting team that beat South Africa 5-47 on Monday.
The front row trio will remain the same with Cockburn, Skeldon and Forsyth. Emma Wassell will be joined in the second row by Siobhan Cattigan who moves off the bench. Rachel Malcolm will start at blindside flanker with Louise McMillan moving from second row to openside. Jade Konkel will remain at number 8.
Jenny Maxwell will start at scrum-half in the second Test match against the South Africans with Sarah Law remaining at fly-half.
Rhona Lloyd remains on the wing with Lisa Thomson starting at inside centre.
Hannah Smith will continue at outside centre with Chloe Rollie at full-back and Abi Evans is moving onto the wing from the bench.
Doyle said on selection: “We had a fantastic match on Monday and I was delighted to see how the team played and how they executed the game plan.
“The match is going to be tougher this weekend as South Africa know what to expect from us and will be wanting to ensure a home win. We have been preparing hard at training this week and I am excited to see what the team will deliver on Saturday.”
Scotland Women team to face South Africa on Saturday at City Park Ground, Athlone, Cape Town
(kick-off 2pm BST – streamed live via scottishrugby.org)
15. Chloe Rollie (Harlequins)
14. Abi Evans (Darlington Mowden Park)
13. Hannah Smith (Watsonians)
12. Lisa Thomson – vice-captain (Darlington Mowden Park)
11. Rhona Lloyd (Loughborough Lightning)
10. Sarah Law (Darlington Mowden Park)
9. Jenny Maxwell (Loughborough Lightning)
1. Lisa Cockburn (Darlington Mowden Park)
2. Lana Skeldon (Darlington Mowden Park)
3. Mairi Forsyth (Corstorphine Cougars)
4. Emma Wassell (Corstorphine Cougars)
5. Siobhan Cattigan (Stirling County)
6. Rachel Malcolm – captain (Loughborough Lightning)
7. Louise McMillan (Hillhead Jordanhill)
8. Jade Konkel (Harlequins)
Subs
16. Jodie Rettie (Saracens)
17. Panashe Muzambe (Edinburgh University / Watsonians)
18. Megan Kennedy (Stirling County)
19. Christine Belisle (Cartha Queens Park)
20. Rachel McLachlan (Darlington Mowden Park)
21. Mhairi Grieve (Firwood Waterloo)
22. Sarah Denholm (Edinburgh University)
23. Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning)
springboks.rugby&sccottishrugby
Latest score: Springboks 10/31 – in the second half with play just about to get underway with Boks feeding a scrum – looks like they had a water break or maybe with an injury play stopped for a while. Boks on the attack
Knock a few metres short of Scotland line, so it’s a scrum to Scotland
Looks like a breezy day in Cape Town
Messy scrum breaks up and Boks beat the put in now, not far ouy
Try – Springboks 15/31 Scotland
Strong play and good pick and drives by SA 8 but in the end conceed a penalty which Scotland kick out to get a lineout just outside Scotland 22
Springbok 16 down getting treatment not looking good with ice applied to her neck/shoulder area, and she has left the field, didn’t see what happened, no replays with this live stream
Nice run by Chloe Rollie gains a lot of ground taking play from deep in Scotland 22 to midway between 10m line and half way line, but then Springboks get a penalty, lineout on Scotland 22.
Penalty SA midway between touchline and left hand post and about 7m out they out for the scrum, it looks like Scotland are tiring and Boks are more physical at moment
Scrum collapses, reset, STRONG Boks scrum should have scored a try but no 20 eventually picked it up and dove ahead looking like it was for a try but it was a few m short so she got up and dived over but ref have penalty to Scotland
Good take at the back of the lineout by Scotland
Kick over the top by SA replacement scrumhalf means Scotland get the lineout on their 5m line
Long break in play for treatment to a Scottish player
It was Lana Skeldon who was being treated, she got up and threw into the lineout but now with a break in play has left and is replaced by Jodie Rettie
Relieving penalty to Scotland
SA win the lineout but are forced back and are now running from near their 22
Penalty to SA takes play to just inside Scotland half
Try to Scotland, not sure about the conversion but looks like it was over. Final Score: Springboks 15/38 Scotland.
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