Pumas look for early advantage as Pick n Pay WSL 2 kicks off

A full round of matches in the Pick n Pay Women's Super League 2 will kick-off in Polokwane, Kimberley and Kempton Park this weekend, with defending champions, Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women, entering the Diamond City looking for a continuation of the golden run they had last year where they claimed their first silverware at this level.

Elsewhere, the Valke Women will hope to use the altitude of the East Rand to diminish the threats posed by their visitors from the coast, the SWD Eagirls, while in Polokwane, the Limpopo Blue Bulls will host the Leopards Women, with both squads impacted by the USSA tournament happening in Gqeberha at the same time. The Griffons have a bye this weekend.

The Pick n Pay WSL 2 – until last year called the Women’s First Division – will be played over a single round with semi-finals scheduled for the weekend of 22 August and the final a week later, on 29 August.

Both Limpopo and the Leopards are laden with students from the University of Limpopo and Northwest University but as the tertiary teams are involved at the USSA tournament, they will field squads deprived of those players for round one.

The same applies to Griquas, who have a significant number of Sol Plaatjie University players unavailable for the opening round of the competition.

The Pumas showed last year that the traditional heavyweights can be tamed but the flip side is that – as defending champions – they will have a target on their back this time around.

The team from Mpumalanga will not be impacted as much as Griquas, Limpopo Blue Bulls and Leopards, who are without their student players, and a strong performance in round one will boost their titles hopes, knowing that they could get an early jump on the usual contenders.

The Pumas will – in the first match of their tenure as champions – be challenged by Avbob Griquas Women at Suzuki Stadium in Kimberley, despite their opponents having some players unavailable.

The Leopards and Limpopo will be hoping for the best possible outcome of their match in Polokwane, knowing that the return of half a dozen of players in round two will be a huge positive.

The match between Valke Women and SWD Eagirls will probably be the most competitive this weekend, given the fact that they are least impacted by student players and like Pumas, a round one victory could just get an early foot in the door, come the playoffs later in the year.

Coaching staff of the sevens participating teams

Leopards Women

Head coach: Franklin Jackson

Assistant coach: Jackie Kriel

Griffons Women

Head coach: Shamila Louw

Assistant coaches: Tertius Maarman, Norman Nelson

Limpopo Blue Bulls Women

Head coach: Vuyelwa Sethene

Assistant coaches: Artwell Makhubele, Collin Langa

Valke Women

Head coach: Stompi Catherine Lowane

Assistant coach: Collen Mabaso

Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women

Head coach: Sibusiso Ngomane

SWD Eagirls

Head coach: Elize Arendse

Assistant coach: Nicolene Barendse

Avbob Griquas Women

Head coach: Corispa Links

Avbob Griquas Women v Hollywood Foundation Pumas Women @ Suzuki Stadium, Kimberley - Saturday (12pm)

Referee: Guavanne Riley

Valke Women v SWD Eagirls @ Barnard Stadium, Kempton Park - Saturday (12pm)

Referee: Mecyle Africa

Limpopo Blue Bulls Women v Leopards Women @ University of Limpopo, Polokwane - Saturday (1pm)

Referee: Shaun Davids