Despite a convincing and deserved win by the Black Ferns, yesterday's match showed positives for the Springbok Women.
The match must be viewed in context:
- The Black Ferns are ranked number 2 in the world and have been a tier 1 team for decades
- The Springbok Women are ranked number 10 and have been a tier 2 team since their inception just over 20 years ago.
- New Zealand has a strong domestic competition, while South Africa is still developing a high-level competition.
All current senior players debuted in 2018, following a 4-year absence from international play after SARU withdrew the team post-2014 RWC due to uncompetitiveness. Only in recent years have youth players, developed through post-2014 programs, joined the senior squad.
The coaches view the perfomance in context of progress based on the 2025 RWC quarterfinal against New Zealand, the recent tour to Fiji, and the visit from the USA team.
Frustrating errors occurred: missed tackles, a malfunctioning lineout, and slow support play. These issues cannot be excused by context and require improvement.
However, the dominant forward play was something to be proud of and should be built upon. There were also strong individual players.
When judging the team, we should focus on progress rather than the outcome of a single match.