WATCH | Westville Girls’ High rugby squad inspired by Springboks showdown

The Westville High School girls’ rugby team said they were more than grateful to have had this opportunity to watch the Springboks at Kings Park on Saturday. The girls were hosted by the Pick n Pay School Club, whose commitment to supporting school sport and creating opportunities that extend beyond financial support. The girls’ coach, Mantombazana Makhanya, said it is important to create opportunities for girls to experience rugby beyond the school field.

“Coaching these girls has been one of the best experiences of my life,” said Makhanya. They have so much passion and so much love for the game and it is truly amazing to witness. She added that the girls needed to be strong to survive in the sport.

“Female rugby in South Africa is still not as developed as we want it to be,” added Makhanya. These girls need to be strong because they will be the ones to make the most impact in female rugby. Joining the girls from Pick n Pay were spokesperson and head of Strategic Partnerships, Tessa Chamberlain, and Sibusiso Kotelo, the Pick n Pay Brand Ambassador and Springbok Impi, who both said seeing the Springboks live can inspire young players to dream bigger and believe they belong in the game. The experience was capped off by the Springboks’ commanding 43–0 victory over Wales in the Nations Championship.