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Springbok Women's coach swings the axe for England

France's Laure Sansus is tackled by South Africa's Simamkele Namba (R) during the New Zealand 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup Pool C match between South Africa and France at Eden Park on October 8, 2022. (Photo by Michael BRADLEY / AFP) (Photo by MICHAEL BRADLEY/AFP via Getty Images)

Springbok Women coach Stanley Raubenheimer has swung the axe on his underperforming team ahead of their final game of the tournament against England in Auckland on Sunday.

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Just six players survive in the same position as they did in game Fiji as the side face the daunting task of taking on the Red Roses – hot favourites for the tournament.

Team captain Nolusindiso Booi, props Babalwa Latsha and Sanelisiwe Charlie, No 8 Aseza Hele, scrumhalf Tayla Kinsey and wing Nomawethu Mabenge have survived the cull, while Simamkele Namba swapsfrom the wing to outside centre.

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What’s more, the entire front row of Yonela Ngxingolo, Micke Gunter and Aziza Mkiva, lock Nompumelelo Mathe, scrumhalf Rumandi Potgieter, midfielder Jakkie Cilliers and outside back Chuma Qawe will be involved for the first time in New Zealand.

“We have always planned to give everyone a run if possible – all 32 players who came here were selected to play when called upon and that has not changed,” said Raubenheimer.

“We had a clear directive on what we wanted to achieve at this World Cup, but unfortunately it did not go our way against Fiji last Sunday. We will now give those players who have not played so far, the opportunity also to show they were worthy of selection.

“The experience to be at the World Cup will be beneficial to all in the squad after this match, as they would have experienced playing in the tournament. We could have gone with the same team, but that would not have the same benefits than exposing the wider group to topflight rugby.

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“The England match was always going to be a massive challenge; they have put 50 points past all their opponents in recent matches.

“So, our outlook for this match is slightly different. I hope the new players and those making tournament debuts will bring energy and excitement. The World Cup is different from a normal test match, it drains you physically, but also mentally in more ways than one, so we hope the new players will bring a fresh approach to the game.”

SPRINGBOK WOMEN TEAM:
15. Eloise Webb
14. Nomawethu Mabenge
13. Simamkele Namba
12. Chumisa Qawe
11. Nadine Roos
10. Zenay Jordaan
9. Tayla Kinsey
8. Aseza Hele
7. Lerato Makua
6. Lusanda Dumke
5. Catha Jacobs
4. Nolusindiso Booi (captain)
3. Babalwa Latsha
2. Roseline Botes
1. Sanelisiwe Charlie

REPLACEMENTS:
16. Micke Gunter
17. Yonela Ngxingolo
18. Azisa Mkiva
19. Nompumelelo Mathe
20. Sizophila Solontsi
21. Rumandi Potgieter
22. Jakkie Cilliers
23. Chuma Qawe

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J
JW 55 minutes ago
'The Wallabies only have themselves to blame': How the Lions sunk Australia in Melbourne

Cameron Woki picked at the base of a ruck and jumped/dived over. That would clearly now be penalised.

But the Sheehan try is different to my eye. It starts from a tap penalty, he drives forward, the two WB defenders go low for a tackle in the assumption Sheehan will go to ground. He does not, but seeing the hole now left dives through it. In this case surely there is zero danger there.

World Rugby’s terminology/interpretation recently (shared again after this) is that it’s ok to hurdle/dive (that includes over, say a ruck, which we have seen this many times even in this years SR) to score a try, but it’s not (OK) to avoid a tackle. I can’t remember the one you describe (which may have been where their clarification came from) but that would sound OK. Sheehan definitely was playing the rope-a-dope and dived to avoid being tackled (can’t call it tackled really, just blocked/stopped lol), so shouldn’t have been awarded (I wasn’t aware of this last definition so just thought it was a very smart move). Was it premeditated? I’m not sure, but he could definitely have collected someones head if that was the case. And I guess even if he saw the space, I guess it’s not something they can allow as others might try it and get it terribly wrong?


Well summed up Miz. I have been thinking the whole situation of events that lead to this type of sneaky move is the problem, particularly as it relates to the difficulty and effort defenders now go to stop such situations (like say Slippers try), where players go extremely low to drive from meters out (and in most cases plays just trying to dive under). It’s also ugly business seeing attempt after attempt to go in under the tacklers, especially with them not really being able to perform a ‘tackle’ at all. I would simply give the defenders their goal line. All they need is some part of the body on or behind, and this will stop the play (being the fuel to this fire) from being attempted I reckon.

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