The Junior Springbok Women showcased their mettle in a hard-fought 29-10 victory against Zimbabwe’s Under-20s. The match, which took place at Baysville High School in East London, was a rollercoaster of emotions, with both teams displaying moments of brilliance and areas for improvement.
A Strong Start
The Junior Springbok Women, led by head coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt, started the match on a high note, holding a 19-0 lead at half-time, after capitalising on several try-scoring opportunities, particularly in the first half.
“We may have missed out in certain areas, but other areas proved very positive and that was very encouraging.”
Junior Springbok Women Head Coach, Laurian Johannes-Haupt
Zimbabwe Fights Back
However, the second half saw Zimbabwe’s Junior Sables Women come back with renewed vigour.
Despite the strong wind in their favour, the South African side struggled to dominate the tackle area, often grabbing at their opponents instead of bringing them down. This allowed the Sables to continue with their free-flowing off-loading approach to the game.
Key Moments and Players
Among the key players for the Junior Springbok Women were Setty Dlamini, Carmelita Malone, Karabo Lebotsa, Shiniqwa Lamprecht, and Shannon Pieterse, who all scored tries. Lamprecht also successfully converted two tries.
On the Zimbabwean side, Trish Moko stood out with two tries. “We have seen this team provide a pathway towards the Springbok Women set-up in past years, and there are definitely players in this team that will graduate into the senior team,” Johannes-Haupt added optimistically.
Room for Improvement
Despite the win, the team’s performance was not without its flaws. Johannes-Haupt lamented the lack of urgency on defence, stating, “Our speed off the line was not great, and that allowed Zimbabwe to play with the ball a lot and put us under pressure.”
She remains optimistic, however, seeing “enough good things in this game to work on.”
International Friendly Final Result at Baysville High School in East London on Tuesday, 3 October, 2023
Junior Springbok Women 29 (10) – 10 (0) Zimbabwe’s Under-20 Junior Sables Women
Scorers: Junior Springbok Women
– Tries: Carmelita Malone, Setty Dlamini, Karabo Lebotsa, Shiniqwa Lamprecht, Shannon Pieterse
– Conversions: Lamprecht (2)
Scorers: Zimbabwe
– Tries: Trish Moko (2)
Photo 1 Caption: Head coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt and her team smile with the Junior Springbok Women squad after the sides’ tough 29-10 International Friendly result against Zimbabwe’s Junior Sables Women in East London on Tuesday, 3 October, 2023. Photo: SA Rugby: SA Rugby
Photo 2 Caption: Carmelita Malone (pictured) was among the key players for the Junior Springbok Women were Setty Dlamini, Karabo Lebotsa, Shiniqwa Lamprecht, and Shannon Pieterse, who dotted down for the Junior Bok Women. Photo: SA Rugby
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