The Springbok Women beat Fiji’s Fijiana XV 29 to 22 at Churchill Park in Lautoka on Saturday 15 August, completing a 2 to 0 series win, with debutant wing Maria Tshiremba scoring three tries after the break.
South Africa trailed 10 to 5 at half time and had been second best for most of the first forty minutes. Tshiremba’s hat trick turned the match, with Lindelwa Gwala also crossing. Fiji stayed within range to the finish, which makes this a more useful result than the first Test, won 55 to 12 on 8 August against a Fijian side still working out its combinations.
Winning away from home in the Pacific is the part that matters. South African women’s rugby has spent years playing most of its serious rugby in Europe or at home, where conditions suit a forward oriented game. Lautoka in August is humid, the ball is greasy, and Fijiana play a loose game that punishes a side that cannot adapt. Coming from behind there says more about the squad than a fifty point win did.
The selection question that follows is whether Tshiremba keeps the shirt. Three tries on debut is a difficult thing to argue with, and the Springbok Women have not had an abundance of finishers who look dangerous when the pass is behind them. AXN Sports will follow the squad through to the next window.
Where to bet: women’s international rugby is thinly priced in South Africa, so expect match result and handicap rather than the full menu you would get on a Springboks Test. Hollywoodbets and Betway, both licensed through provincial gambling boards, price the Springbok Women alongside the URC and the Currie Cup in rand, with deposits by Ozow instant EFT, Capitec Pay and OTT Voucher. Handicaps on a developing side swing hard between windows, so read the team sheet before you take one. Our guide to the best betting sites in South Africa covers licensing and payout times, and there is more in South Africa rugby news from AXN Sports. 18+. Gamble responsibly.
