Springbok Women’s performance coach Swys de Bruin praised the sense of adventure and fearlessness shown by his team in their 48-26 victory over Spain in Alicante on Saturday.
The platform for the Test win was laid by a dominant forward display, especially in the first half, and it allowed the SA backs the freedom to express themselves.
It was a first-half performance that the coach said was “almost faultless”.
“We scored some beautiful long-distance tries, which was something we worked on and wanted to add to our arsenal as we prepare for the Rugby World Cup in August, while our set piece delivered as usual,” he said.
“Credit to the defensive effort out there, we really laid down a marker in that area as well.”
But the praise was tinged with a note of caution from De Bruin, after lapses in the second half – including conceding “two soft tries” – let Spain back into the match.
“There’s a lot of work-ons, believe me, but for starters, we did tick the boxes we wanted to. It was just some loose moments, but what I did enjoy (was that) they had a go, they had a go from all over,” he said.
“But it is a Test match, maybe we settle things down a bit. But I must say I enjoyed the fact that they’re prepared to have a go and played fearless. They really played fearless.”
De Bruin said the team will have a short break before they start preparing for the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar in June, and the two-Test series against Canada in July.
“We are seven matches away from our World Cup opener and we started this very well, so not much to complain about at this stage,” said De Bruin.
Reaction from Spain: “We are seven matches away from our World Cup opener and we started very well, so there is not much to complain about at this stage” - more here: https://t.co/24OIphXrfF 🗣 #BokWomen #MakeItCount #ETTIG pic.twitter.com/h70bACPCwX
— SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) April 19, 2025
SA captain Nolusindiso Booi, who became the first Springbok Women's player to play in 50 Tests on Saturday, said emotions ran high, but she managed to calm herself down. She also admitted that the win made the milestone more special.
“This was not about me, although I am immensely proud of the occasion and what it means to women’s rugby and especially to my family,” said Booi after the match.
“I had my quiet moments before the match, but when the time came, it was game face on and playing for this team and country. Now that it is all over, I have a deep sense of gratitude for those who walked this journey with me.
“We played well today, and everyone should be proud of the fact that they played a part in this performance.”
The tour to France and Spain has been a productive one for De Bruin and his management team. While he believes the team is still “in process”, he feels the Bok Women are on an “upward curve”. This bodes well for the World Cup in England later this year.