Babalwa Latsha is a household name in women’s rugby and the stalwart of the game is now cementing her place as one of the mainstays of the sport. The Springbok women’s star recently renewed her contract with Premiership Women’s Rugby side, Harlequins Women.
Latsha has been at the club since 2023, and has just penned a new deal to stay at the club for the 2024/25 Allianz PWR season.
During Latsha’s time at ‘The Stoop’, she has scored eight tries in her 24 appearances at the club, becoming a player Quins fans have begun to love, and the popular player says it was a no-brainer to extend her contract with her team.
“I decided to stay on with the club, I think it’s a great club, great people, great environment, and which allows me to stretch myself and grow as a rugby player, but more importantly, being able to contribute towards the progress of the season, next season.”
“The club has a very special place in my heart and I enjoy being there, I have grown to love what the Harlequins Women are about, and it truly is an expression of being fearless in how we go about things at the club, and playing some exciting rugby at the club.”
Springbok Women’s Rugby Star, Babalwa Latsha
An important aspect for Latsha was that the club provides space for individuals of different ethnicities to be themselves.
Having featured as the face of the Springbok national team and women’s rugby in South Africa, Latsha is rightly considered seasoned professional who knows how to maintain her brand, as she looks to attract international contracts and acquire personal sponsors.
Latsha says that there are qualities she feels are important when looking to secure contracts and sponsors.
“The best way for me to continue being alluring to sponsors is to continue being myself, because no-one does me better than I do me. It has always worked, to build a profile, to build platforms and relationships, which ultimately helps you to be more visible. But the best thing is to just be yourself.”
Given the experience she has in this department, she is one of the best people to get advice from when it comes to young athletes who are looking to acquire such contracts and sponsorships.
“My advice would be to be good at what you do, those performances are important, build the relationships, potential sponsors, with brands, with people, organisations, and companies. Also create as much visibility around you, as possible and be visible.
“Don’t be afraid to use social media as a tool to express yourself, and show the world who you are and the things that you love. Share your stories with the world.”
Latsha is the first African woman who became a professional rugby player back in 2020. She says being part of such a club like the Quins has helped on a professional personal level and it’s something that makes the English team set themselves apart in the rugby world.
“To sum it all up, (I’m) really excited to go back to the Quins for another season. I think that I have grown within the setup and will continue to grow and that I can contribute to the success of the team to the best of my ability by embracing who I am and the innate abilities that I bring to the club. This is why I love being there because the environment is conducive to growth, it’s inclusive to all nationalities and ethnicities and one can just be themselves.”
South Africa is currently celebrating Youth Month and Latsha is someone is known to always be willing to encourage and help young athletes. This is what she advises the youngsters of the country to not just help themselves, but to also help those around them.
“In celebration of Youth Month I would like to say to the young people of our beautiful country that the future of our country is in our hands, us young people and we have the power to steer it toward the direction that we want it.:
“The future is incredibly bright for us, let us not shy away from leading, using our voices, celebrating ourselves and our achievements, and following through the desire to want to be the people who want to contribute positively to our society.”
Latsha isn’t the only Springbok Women’s player who extended their contract at the Quins, Danelle Locher will also make a return for another season.
Speaking on the quins.co.uk website, Forwards Coach Steve Halsey said the Bok duo are an important part of the team and the club.
“Having these two world-class players renew their contracts is fantastic news for our Club. They’re both great people and play in a way that aligns with our Club DNA and contributes to our game style.
Harlequins Women Forwards Coach, Steve Halsey
“BB is a great person to have in our environment. She is a world-class prop and an amazing person and role model to other players in our squad. Her hard work and dedication have translated into some great performances at scrum time, alongside her powerful ball-carrying and strong defence.”
“Danelle’s progress this season has been outstanding and I’m very pleased that she’s decided to stay in our environment to continue her rugby development,” said Halsey. “I’m excited to see how far she can continue to improve her game, she’s worked hard to become a real competitor in our pack, and will continue to develop and add further strengths to her game.”
Main Photo Caption: Babalwa Latsha is a household name in women’s rugby and the stalwart of the game is now cementing her place as one of the mainstays of the sport. The Springbok women’s star recently renewed her contract with English Premiership side, Harlequins. She has been at the club since 2023 and penned a new deal to stay at the club for the 2024/25 Allianz PWR season. All Photos: Supplied
(0 rating, 0 votes, rated)
Loading...
