The Springbok Women will play Canada in curtain-raisers to the Springbok men’s Tests against Italy in July.
The double-headers will provide a feast of Test action at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria (July 5) and a week later at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.
It is a coup of note for the Springbok Women because the powerful Canadians are ranked second in the world rankings (England are first and New Zealand, third).
SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said on Wednesday that the Tests would not only showcase the growth and status of the Springbok Women, but also women’s rugby in general.
“It is a momentous year for the Springbok Women as they try and deliver their best result at the World Cup in England in August. These two encounters, against one of the best teams in the world, will be a very important part of their preparations,” Oberholzer said.
“The fact that they will share the field with the Springboks will be another bonus for our supporters, especially those in Pretoria and Gqeberha, where the Springbok Women have not played in a while.”
The Springbok Women played Spain at Ellis Park in Johannesburg in 2022 as a curtain-raiser to the Springboks’ Rugby Championship clash against New Zealand, and faced the Barbarians in Cape Town last year before the Springboks took on the All Blacks.
Springbok Women coach Swys de Bruin said on Wednesday that confirmation of the Canadian Tests was great news.
“We are ranked only 12th in the world, and Canada are second, and for us to be in the best shape possible for the Rugby World Cup, we need to play the best teams in the world,” he said.
“We’re grateful that Canada accepted our invitation, and I want to thank all those involved who made this possible.
“What a wonderful day it will be for rugby fans to watch our women and then the Springboks competing in Test matches.”
Kevin Rouet, head coach of the Canadian women’s team, said: “These matches in South Africa will play an important role in our preparation for the World Cup.
“Playing the Springbok Women will give us two very physical and exciting matches.
“They will give us a good indication as to where we stand in our preparation as we get closer to the World Cup.
“We are very much looking forward to our time as a squad in South Africa.”
Following the series against Canada, the Bok Women will play two matches against a New Zealand Black Ferns XV in South Africa, with dates and venues to be confirmed.
