FAST START: Bok Women claim historic victory over USA with innovation and brute force

For the first time since 2011, the Springbok Women have beaten the USA Eagles, securing a historic victory in a clinical contest at Ellis Park. On Saturday, 4 July, the green machine ran away with it in the first half, but a slew of errors in the second half almost overturned all the hard work they had done early on.

It was a shaky start for the Bok Women. Miscommunication and a ball lost forward from the kick-off saw the USA with early possession, distributing the ball out wide, as they so often do with fluency.

However, with a keenness and intensity, the Bok Women won the ball back and after that, refused to allow the Eagles any momentum for the rest of the first half, scoring four tries. Assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt had emphasised the work the defence had been putting in during the lead-up to the game, and their efforts were fruitful.

They made tackles, dislodged balls and forced error after error from the USA, who gave away 10 penalties to South Africa’s (SA’s) one. Eventually from desperation to get ball in hand, Cassidy Bargell of the USA received a yellow card for cynical play and afforded SA further advantage.

Ayanda Malinga, who found herself in the outside centre position for the first time, opened the scoring for SA in the sixth minute of the game. It started with a dominant scrum, and distribution of the ball to open up the space with some powerful ball-carrying from Vainah Ubisi. She then slung the ball wide to Malinga, who tore up the left with her belligerent pace.

Behind the tries were the strong carries by inside centre Aphiwe Ngwevu. The experienced number 12 made the hard yards, making big tackles, breaking through the lacklustre defence of the USA and claiming crucial territory.

Accompanying the brute force that so defines the Springbok contingent was innovation and creativity in the set pieces. The Bok Women were not afraid to use ingenuity in the game from a two-person lineout, having the ball travel all the way to the back and putting immediate pressure on USA. They also created a maul off the scrum. Young gun number eight Logan Welman picked up the ball, her flanks broke away and formed around her, advancing at least 10m.

Welman, who had only three caps before this, put her hand up for future appearances, after busting through the defence to cross over the try line for a brace just before the first half concluded. Welman, since making her debut at the Rugby Africa Cup a couple of weeks ago, has scored in every game she has played.

**“**It was good rugby that first half,” said head coach Swys de Bruin after the game. **“**I’m very happy about what I saw. Arguably, it was the best first half ever, they executed the plan to the tee.

“And maybe half-time I gave the wrong message, I don’t know what happened, but it wasn’t the same team on the field. But that’s beautiful, because now we’ve got something to work on.”

A second half to forget

Despite the strong start from the Boks, a messy period of play for the South Africans in the second half, coupled with a renewed intensity from a waking USA side, saw the visitors strike back with three converted tries.

While the Bok women conceded only one penalty in the first half, their lapse in discipline saw them concede five times that.

Head coach of the USA, Jack Hanratty, was deeply disappointed in his team’s first-half performance, but commended the youngsters who came off the bench to finally switch the pressure to the Boks.

“Honestly, bitterly disappointed,” said Hanratty after the match. “They’re [South Africa] a very good rugby team. Congratulations to them. They fully deserved their win, and we were second in every aspect, except for a chunk of time in the second half.

“South Africa were always a very physical team, they’ve become really intelligent and I think that shows the investment in not only the support, but actually financially from the union.”

He added: “The players that came off the bench were outstanding. We had a left wing, Ashley Cowdery, who made her debut, scored her first try. And actually I thought she was one of our better players today.”

The Springbok Women will be looking to build on this momentum in their second and final Test match against the USA next week.

They play on Saturday, 11 July, at Loftus. DM