Latsha leads experienced Bok Women into historic NZ battle

Babalwa Latsha will lead the Springbok Women into battle against the Black Ferns on Saturday when South Africa welcome the New Zealand women’s side for a first Test on local soil. The 1.30pm fixture at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg will be broadcast on SuperSport.

Latsha is of six players in the pack that started against the Black Ferns just under a year ago in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England. Vainah Ubisi and Catha Jacobs were on the bench in that fixture, won 46-17 by New Zealand. They replace and Nolusindiso Booi (retired) and Sinazo Mcatshulwa (injured) in the starting team this weekend.

Latsha, Sanelisiwe Charlie and Lindelwa Gwala will again form the front row, Ubisi will lock up with Danelle Locher in the engine room, and Jacobs will slot in with Sizo Solontsi and Aseza Hele in the back row.

On the forwards bench, Anuschka Groenewald (hooker), Nomsa Mokwai and Logan Welman, as well as hybrid player Shiniqwa Lamprecht will face the Black Ferns for the first time.

Amongst the backs, five players will be starting again They are Byrhandré Dolf, Zintle Mpupha, Aphiwe Ngwevu, Ayanda Malinga and Libbie Janse van Rensburg. At scrumhalf, Unam Tose will start in place of the injured Nadine Roos, while Maceala Samboya will play off the bench this time, with Alichia Arries starting on the wing. Anacadia Minnaar comes in as replacement scrumhalf.

Tose, Minnaar and Arries will face the Black Ferns for the first time as well.

Laurian Johannes-Haupt said the coaching staff had some good options when they named the final group and expressed her confidence in the squad selected for this historic match.

“We have managed to build some extra depth since that match earlier this season when we played in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and the two series against the USA Eagles Women and Fijiana,” said Johannes-Haupt, who co-coaches the team this week with Franzel September.

“We believe this is the right squad for this game, and we go to FNB Stadium with a very specific game plan in mind.

“We have certain characteristics as Springbok Women and that include being very physical in our first phase, so there is no reason to move away from that. We are aware of what the Black Ferns will bring, but selected this group because we want to play a certain way, not in reaction to who might be in their team.”

On the historic nature of the fixture, Johannes-Haupt, who played against the Black Ferns in the 2010 Women’s World Cup, said it will do justice to the growth of the team and the women’s game in general: “This is a big moment for us as a team, but we will make sure the focus remains between the four lines, where the Blacks Ferns will no doubt come with a massive onslaught.”

Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September, who led the team to success in Kenya and Fiji earlier this year, will continue to act as co-head coaches of the Springbok Women’s team following the decision by Swys de Bruin to step down from the role.

Meanwhile, with former referee Jaco Peyper already part of the Springboks’ coaching setup, the Springbok Women have followed a similar approach by bringing South Africa’s leading referee, Aimee Barrett-Theron, into their preparations for their historic clash against the Black Ferns.

The Springbok Women and New Zealand will meet on South African soil for the first time in what promises to be a landmark occasion for women’s rugby.

The fixture forms part of the Greatest Rivalry Series, with the Springboks and All Blacks locked at 1-1 heading into their showdown at FNB Stadium.

The Springbok Women will be looking to once again make their set-piece a major weapon against the Black Ferns.

The two sides last met in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup quarterfinals in England, where South Africa stunned the world with a devastating 15-player maul.

Their perfectly executed set-piece work also saw backline duo Roos and Dolf positioned in the middle of the line-out.

“We have two proper packs, so that is definitely one of our strengths, and carry on with that,” said Johannes-Haupt.

“Our set-piece in general is working well together, so it’s definitely something we want to put forward to the New Zealanders.”

With the scrum receiving plenty of attention on the men’s side of the Greatest Rivalry, the Springbok Women have also enlisted Barrett-Theron to help them navigate the intricacies of the set-piece.

The most-capped female international referee in rugby history stepped away from the officiating to concentrate on treatment for breast cancer in July 2026.

Her CV reads like a roll of honour: the 2017 and 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cups, the Tokyo Olympics, the United Rugby Championship and the Women’s Six Nations.

“Having Aimee here is a gamechanger,” Johannes-Haupt stated.

“With World Rugby, there are a few things we wanted to tweak with regards to the law. We wanted to get better at the laws.

“So having Aimee calling the scrum resets is massive, so the girls know exactly what to expect and the pictures we need to show the referees.”

Despite New Zealand’s status as the world’s No 2-ranked team, Johannes-Haupt insists the Springbok Women are not travelling into the contest simply to make up the numbers.

“We’re going into this game extremely positive. New Zealand are No 2 in the world, and that speaks to their programme and everything that they have ploughed into it.

“But also, we are not going there just to compete. We are actually going to dominate in a lot of facets of the game.

“We want to showcase what we’ve done in the past and where we’re heading as our involvement and improving. We just want to step up, and competing with the top two is exactly where we want to be.”

Black Ferns selectors head coach Whitney Hansen and assistant coaches Tony Christie, Riki Flutey and Simon Kneebone have named their team for the historic clash.

In the starting XV, Georgia Ponsonby will make her first appearance as co-captain for the Black Ferns with Hannah King named to start at flyhalf. Ruahei Demant shifts to the bench and will remain as co-captain for the match.

Hansen said: “The changes create a great opportunity for both Georgia and Hannah to grow their leadership. Georgia is one of our on-field leaders, has a strong understanding of our rugby identity and has the presence to lead as captain.

“Ruahei is an exceptional game-driver and important leader for us. What we know is we need to continue developing more players who can step into these roles, and this is great opportunity for Hannah to grow her leadership and game-driving abilities.”

The loose forward trio will also see Mia Anderson, Elinor-Plum King and Liana Mikaele-Tu’u start. The bench will see the return of hooker Atlanta Lolohea, Laura Bayfield (lock), Tara Turner (halfback) and Justine McGregor (wing).

Springbok Women starting XV: 15 Byrhandré Dolf, 14 Alichia Arries, 13 Zintle Mpupha, 12 Aphiwe Ngwevu, 11 Ayanda Malinga; 10 Libbie Janse van Rensburg, 9 Unam Tose; 8 Aseza Hele, 7 Catha Jacobs, 6 Sizophila Solontsi; 5 Danelle Lochner, 4 Vainah Ubisi; 3 Babalwa Latsha (capt), 2 Lindelwa Gwala, 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie. Replacements: 16 Anushka Groenewald, 17 Yonela Ngxingolo, 18 Nombuyekezo Mdliki, 19 Nomsa Mokwai, 20 Shiniqwa Lamprecht, 21 Logan Welman, 22 Anacadia Minnaar, 23 Maceala Samboya.

Black Ferns starting XV: 15 Braxton Sorensen-McGee, 14 Mererangi Paul, 13 Amy du Plessis, 12 Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt, 11 Ayesha Leti-I’iga; 10 Hannah King, 9 Maia Joseph; 8 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, 7 Elinor-Plum King, 7 Elinor-Plum King, 6 Mia Anderson; 5 Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu, 4 Maiakawanakaulani Roos; 3 Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu, 2 Georgia Ponsonby (capt), 1 Chryss Viliko. Replacements: 16 Atlanta Lolohea, 17 Maddison Robinson, 18 Santo Taumata, 19 Laura Bayfield, 20 Amarante Sititi, 21 Tara Turner, 22 Ruahei Demant (55), 23 Justine McGregor.

Springbok Women v New Zealand - Saturday @ FNB Stadium, Johannesburg (1.30pm)

Referee: Zoe Naude

Assistant Referees: Giana Viljoen, Angie Bezuidenhout

Television Match Official: Quinton Immelman

Split Screen/FPRO: Christie du Preez