Sasol Banyana Banyana in training as coach Desiree Ellis puts her players through their paces.
Banyana Banyana's preparations to min back the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) crown enter a crucial phase on Saturday when they face Asian champions Japan in Osaka.
Coach Desiree Ellis has made no secret of the importance of the two-match friendly series, viewing it as the ideal opportunity to gauge her side's readiness ahead of Wafcon, which gets underway at the end of July.
South Africa will take on Japan at the Yanmar Hanasaka Stadium in the first of two friendlies at the weekend before meeting the same opponents again on Tuesday in a match scheduled to kick off at 8.50am South African time and will be broadcast live on SABC 3.
For Ellis, the challenge of facing one of the world's leading teams offers more than just a competitive fixture.
