Lamprecht to lead Bok Women’s Sevens ‘A’ to Dubai

Shiniqwa Lamprecht has been named as captain of the Springbok Women’s Sevens ‘A’ squad, with a distinct developmental feel to it, at the International Invitational tournament of the Emirates Dubai Sevens this weekend.

Lamprecht, a Bok Women’s Sevens regular, will lead a side consisting of six members of the recent Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Cup winners, while Springbok Women 15s representative Faith Tshauke will be amongst those running out at The Sevens Stadium for the first time in a representative team.

Lerato Makua, another Women’s Rugby World Cup star, returns to the sevens fray, having last played in the shortened version of the game at the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament in Cape Town.

Lamprecht, Liske Lategan, Leigh Fortuin, Vianca Boer, Patience Mokone and Byrhandré Dolf returned from Kenya with the African title and although no medals are at stake this time around, they will have to provide a solid base for their less experienced teammates in matches against the likes of Poland and Sweden.

Shannon-Lee Windvogel, a regular member of the national training squad, dodged the injury bogey and will travel to Dubai for the first time in what will be an important tournament for the sweeper.

Three players that excelled during the recent USSA Sevens tournament are also given an opportunity to stake a claim to further national involvement. The UP-Tuks duo of Thandi Fudu and Jane Mulder trained with the team while they prepared in Pretoria prior to the Africa Cup, while Maties wing Shanidine Bezuidenhout joined the training sessions in Stellenbosch over the last two months.

Bezuidenhout played netball for Stellenbosch University but after trying out rugby she decided to switch codes, while Fudu earlier represented the National Youth Rock Climbing team. Mulder’s dad, Japie, was a member of the 1995 Springbok Rugby World Cup team.

SA coach Cecil Afrika said he is excited to see the new players in action, while he is also pleased to give his senior players more game time on the field.

“We will be returning to Dubai in January when we play in the Challenger 3 tournament, so this is important in building towards the depth of the squad we want to select from,” said Afrika.

“At the same time, we are giving those senior players another opportunity to play sevens in a very competitive environment. We have some tough games, with Poland in particular that will very competitive, but what I want to see from this team is one that can execute their roles and take responsibility when playing for a national side.”

Matches will be streamed live on the tournament YouTube channel.

Springbok Women's Sevens ‘A’ squad for Dubai

Forwards: Liske Lategan, Thandi Fudu, Faith Tshauke, Shiniqwa Lamprecht (captain), Leigh Fortuin, Lerato Makua.

Backs: Vianca Boer, Jane Mulder, Shanidine Bezuidenhout, Patience Mokone, Shannon-Lee Windvogel, Byrhandré Dolf.

Pool fixtures (SA times)

Friday

1.40pm v LV Hammerheads

3.40pm v Sweden

Saturday

10.40am v Poland

3.40pm v Ireland Invitational

• Meanwhile, a squad of emerging South African sevens players have been invited to play for the Shogun International RFC team in Dubai. The players, who are drawn from the national playing group, will be captained by Tiaan Pretorius, who alongside Dewald Human and Sebastiaan Jobb, are capped sevens internationals.

The Shogun International RFC squad: Siya Ndlozi, Juan Smith, Grant de Jager, Joubert Schoeman, Joel Leotlela, Tiaan Pretorius (captain), Bentley Geldenhuys, Rowan Malgas, Nabo Sokoyi, Dewald Human, Sebastiaan Jobb, Renaldo Young.