Franzel September sees Nairobi lessons as vital step in Bok Women’s growth

The Springbok Women celebrate their record-extending triumph in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup final in Nairobi last week Sunday. TheSpringbok Women’s successful Rugby Africa Cup campaign in Kenyadelivered more than a fifth consecutive continental title for assistant coach Franzel September. It also provided valuable evidence that theteam’s evolution is gathering paceahead of a demanding international season and the longer-term goal of becoming a genuine force at the 2029 Rugby World Cup.

South Africa retained their crown in Nairobi with a largely experimental squad, giving a new generation of players an opportunity to prove themselves on the international stage. While the results were convincing, September believes the tournament’s greatest value lay in the lessons it offered against increasingly competitive African opposition. “We wanted to give more ladies exposure and see how we can groom the next best players before the next World Cup cycle,” September said of a tournamnet that featured six debutants.

“Provincial rugby is one thing, but international rugby is a different challenge altogether.” One of the biggest takeaways for the coach was the reminder that the Springbok Women can no longer rely solely on the forward dominance that has traditionally underpinned their game. Teams arrived in Nairobi determined to challenge South Africa physically, particularly at set piece and breakdown time. “We realised that you can’t just rock up with your DNA,” September said.

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“Teams know your strengths and they are going to challenge you there.” Instead, South Africa found success by broadening their attacking approach. The kicking game became an increasingly important weapon throughout the tournament, helping the side control territory and apply and relieve pressure when opponents threatened to gain momentum.

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