In York, South Africa wrote a chapter that will echo at home as the Springbok Women’s Rugby World Cup performance leapt from promise to history. A 29-24 victory over Italy delivered a first ever win against the Azzurre and, after France beat Brazil, secured a maiden place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a pool match to spare.
The result crowned an opening fortnight in which the Springbok Women announced themselves on the global stage. They dismantled Brazil 66-6 in Northampton, then held their nerve in a nail-biter against Italy in York, proof that this surge is built on both power and composure.
How South Africa seized the moment in York
South Africa struck first and fast. From a dominant scrum, No. 8 Aseza Hele picked and surged to the line in the second minute, a statement of intent that set the tone for a half shaped by set-piece muscle and field position. The Boks repeatedly squeezed penalties at scrum time, with veteran prop Babalwa Latsha helping drive a platform that Italy struggled to shift.
The backline found its rhythm too. Flyhalf Libbie Janse van Rensburg split the line with guile, then fed fullback Nadine Roos on the inside for the second try that pushed the lead to 12-0. Italy hit back through a sharp counter, but the Boks showcased a rehearsed move off the scrum that freed winger Ayanda Malinga to score wide out and restore a healthy cushion.
Italy rallied before the interval, capitalising on South African errors to close the gap to 17-12 at halftime. Momentum flickered blue, yet the Boks’ body language rarely wavered, anchored by repeated scrum ascendency and line-speed in defense.
Twists, pressure, and a defining finish
The second half opened with a jolt as Italy levelled at 17-17, seizing on a handling error to tilt the pulse of the contest. South Africa answered through the bench, with replacement Yonela Ngxingolo crashing over after another surge from the tight five, and Byrhandre Dolf adding the extras for 24-17.
Italy refused to blink and, after sustained pressure, tied it again at 24-24 with 11 minutes to play. The game sat on a knife’s edge, the kind that tests a team’s belief as much as its systems.
That belief told. Flanker Sinazo Mcatshulwa powered over from close range to reclaim the lead, the defense then shut the door through a frantic closing passage to lock in 29-24 and one of the most important wins in Springbok Women’s history. The scoreboard was the payoff for a week that blended clarity in strategy with grit in the collisions.
Voices from the heart of the win
Player of the match, flyhalf Libbie Janse van Rensburg, distilled the feeling with a smile and a sentence, calling the win “absolutely amazing”. She added, “We had a job to do, we said we’d be direct, this is massive,” and spoke of the group’s mission to make a mark, “We spoke about changing history and everyone here in the team has now been a part of that.”
Head coach Swys de Bruin lauded the resolve and the plan behind it. “I am so proud of everyone, this was really a team effort, not only from all here in England, but also our support structures back home, and this performance justifies the belief SA Rugby had in us,” he said. “We had a plan on how to beat Italy and credit to my coaches, as it worked to a tee, our first phase helped us to score some tries, while we also outplayed them in the backs with some delightful tries.”
De Bruin underlined that the team is building round by round, remarking that they “improved on every positive statistic out there” and expressing relief that the blueprint was executed. It was a nod to a staff that matched tactical detail with emotional energy, the kind that keeps a huddle tight when the clock ticks red.
Captain Nolusindiso Booi framed the win in a wider arc of growth and gratitude. “The performance was magic, we never stopped fighting, knowing what was at stake,” she said. “This win was for all who came before us, those who paved the way. Look at where we started and look where we are now, in the top 10 of the world game.”
For Booi, playing her fourth World Cup, the moment was deeply personal. “I will not play rugby again at this level after this tournament and to now have won two pool games in a row and qualify for the quarter-finals is just such a humble feeling of gratitude.” Her words sketched a journey as much as a result, a reminder that milestones on the field carry the weight of years off it.
Tactical threads that decided the contest
Scrum pressure was the drumbeat of South Africa’s performance, a theme that yielded penalties, territory, and tempo. With Latsha setting the example and the pack holding their shape, the Boks forced Italy to play from imperfect platforms. That strain fed into turnovers and a possession pendulum that tilted green and gold at key moments.
There was variety too. Janse van Rensburg’s disguised dummy and incisive line break, the cleverly designed scrum move for Malinga, and the clinical use of replacements showed a team comfortable shifting gears. The balance between power and fluency opened the space Roos exploited, then later provided the footholds from which Ngxingolo and Mcatshulwa crossed.
Three moments that told the story
- Hele’s early strike from a dominant scrum put Italy on notice and set South Africa’s tone for collision and control,
- Janse van Rensburg’s break and Roos’s finish showcased the Boks’ ability to turn pressure into precision,
- Mcatshulwa’s late try captured the day’s character, a refusal to be denied when it mattered most.
Why the Brazil opener mattered to the Italy result
The foundations for Italy were poured in Northampton, where South Africa ran in 10 tries to beat Brazil 66-6. The numbers told a tale of dominance, with 65 percent possession, 71 percent territory, and 929 metres gained compared to Brazil’s 117, but the deeper gain was confidence that the structures hold under pressure.
Aphiwe Ngwevu took player of the match honours against Brazil after a powerful midfield display, while De Bruin’s decision to roll the bench in one sweeping change refreshed the side without blunting momentum. That move echoed the men’s Bomb Squad tactic and underlined a growing resourcefulness, the kind of depth that proved so valuable when Italy twice drew level.
In the build-up to Italy, voices inside the camp were clear about the task at hand. Centre Zintle Mpupha cautioned that momentum must be earned weekly, calling the Italy clash “the biggest game of our lives”. Assistant forward Catha Jacobs spoke about fine-tuning set pieces and connections, and De Bruin highlighted the defensive discipline that saw the Boks concede no tries against Brazil, a first for any Springbok team.
What qualification and a top 10 rise mean back home
This victory delivered more than a quarter-final slot. It also coincided with a first time place in the top 10 of the world rankings, an achievement Booi linked to years of incremental work and the support of those who walked the path before. For a squad that had not won a game at the previous tournament, this surge represents a clear step change.
The ripple effects are immediate and tangible. Visibility breeds belief for young players across South Africa, and the way this team is winning, with set-piece authority and inventive attack, provides a template to emulate. The Boks are not only competing, they are dictating terms in stretches, and that carries significance for the women’s game across the country.
Attention turns to France with momentum in hand
South Africa still have their final Pool D fixture against France on 7 September, a meeting of qualifiers with seeding implications and a chance to stress-test the systems against a heavyweight. The team will regroup and sharpen in England, aiming to carry the same clarity that underpinned the Italy win into the next challenge.
What they have already banked is priceless. Confidence from two wins, trust in the plan, and the composure to close a tight game under pressure. As Booi reflected, this is for those who paved the way, and for the thousands who roared in York that conviction now feels unshakable.
The essence of a milestone night
Every great chapter in sport blends numbers and narrative, and South Africa’s 29-24 against Italy offers both. Five tries to four, a spine of set-piece dominance, and a closing sequence where defense drew a line across the try line. It was strategic and it was spirited, exactly the combination that fuels tournaments and stirs a nation.
History is now written, but the ink is still wet. The Springbok Women have earned a first ever quarter-final and a first ever win over Italy, and they carry into the next week a simple message for opponents and supporters alike. This team is here to compete, and, as Janse van Rensburg put it, they are not done yet, they want more.
