Head coach Swys de Bruin has named a 38-player training squad to face the US in July, ahead of a massive line-up of fixtures that includes clashes against New Zealand and Ireland later this year. Photo: AFP
The Springbok Women will be without SA Rugby's Women's Player of the Year and playmaker Nadine Roos when they host their US counterparts over a two-match Test series in July, SA Rugby announced on Monday.
Bok Women head coach Swys de Bruin named a 38-player squad for the series, one that will be without former captain and team stalwart Nolusindiso Booi, who has retired from the game. Along with Roos, Sinazo Mcatshulwa will also miss the series as both players battle long-term injuries.
Sevens star Maria Tshiremba has been added to the squad after a stellar year in the shorter format, while Felicia Jacobs and Donelle Snyders have been recalled to the team. A handful of players, including Maria Tshiremba, Byrhandré Dolf, Ayanda Malinga and Jacobs — all Bok Women Sevens players — and Patience Mokone, Zintle Mpupha and Shiniqwa Lamprecht — committed to the HSBC Rugby Premier League in India — will join the squad later this month.
De Bruin and Co will not only have the US series to prepare for. A clash against New Zealand's Black Ferns during Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour in early September awaits, with SA Rugby further announcing a two-Test series against Ireland in October, with both matches to be played at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.
