Rene Naylor, affectionately known as ‘Player 24’ has hung up her jersey and retired as Springboks Physiotherapist, after spending 16 years with one of South Africa’s most-prized sports brands.
Over 100 caps since 2008, Naylor enjoys credit for groundbreaking initiatives such as the injury prevention program, which has been crucial in keeping players off the medical table.
After starring with the SA senior men’s rugby team for four world cups, she’s a proud holder of the 2019 and 2023 gold medals won in Japan and France, respectively.
The Springboks 45-12 victory against Wales on the 23rd of November 2024 was her last game in the green and gold Boks jersey. “My journey has been phenomenal,” Naylor says.
“I feel so blessed and so privileged to have been able to be with the Springboks for such a long period. It was not expected. I did not expect to get the position as the national team physio, and to have been in the position for such a long period is an absolute privilege.”
“To be amongst those legends and to be in that circle with the players is something I’m going to truly, truly, truly miss,” she told Lonwabo Nkohla.
When a Boks player went down during a game after an injury or bad tackle, one of the first to react on the sidelines, would be the renowned physio. Although a beautiful experience, she says the journey did come with some challenges.
“Any journey, there’s some potholes along the way, there’s traffic and it’s uphill. And I think that with all the challenges along the way, when you get to the summit of the journey, it’s always worth it. That’s the how I feel, and I’m feeling that I’m in a good space if I look back on my journey.”
The Springboks have an incredible story to tell. We now know them currently as the best Rugby team in the world after consecutive World Cup trophies, amongst other achievements. They are sitting comfortably as world number one. However, it was not always this smooth sailing.
The Cape-Town born Naylor was there for the ebbs and flows. She says the life lessons learnt along the way have been priceless.
“I have learned that you must protect those behind you and respect those alongside you. And as you are climbing to your summit, help those that need help along the way. And you never know when you going to need the help.”
“Always remember, it doesn’t take anything away from you to be kind. The kindness that I’m shown from people that are different to me, that look different to me, that speak a different language, that pray in a different way, or don’t pray at all. That kindness is what warms my heart, and is what I will take with me as I walk forward on my path and my journey.”
Rene’s contribution to the sport medicine is well documented, and she’s been a highly influential figure in that regard.
“It is a compliment that I am seen as a person in the forefront with sports medicine, because it’s really challenging when you’re traveling and touring with an elite team, to keep abreast with all the technology and innovations and research that is happening in sports medicine, but that is the foundation of everything!
“It’s also very crucial to treat every player like a World Cup-winning captain. So whenever there is an injury, particularly a challenging injury, where you need to get a player back sooner than expected, there needs to be a lot of research, and it is never a just one person that’s healing,” explains Naylor.
“I am part of a medical team, and it is the contribution of every member of that team that leads to the success with your athlete and your player,” she says. “I believe you must never be scared to say you do not know the answer, and you do not know what to do next.
“I encourage young professionals, health professionals, to feel free to seek advice and knowledge from people that have more experience, even if you think you’re doing the right thing. There’s no harm in checking with colleagues in your own sporting code, in a different sporting code, in a different country.”
A job that so highly coveted – but sometimes so thankless – is that of a Physio, and it is such a key asset to the team. The physical wellness of a team, something that can set a winning team apart from a losing team, is in the hands of the Physio, and Naylor excelled in this, above and beyond in her call of duty.
An owner of a Physiotherapist practice, she highlights some of her favourite things about her job: “I probably would define the success of a job in terms of impact.”
“The impact one has on your players. First and foremost, my primary role is the well-being of the players and the athletes, and also impact in terms of the team performance and the team success. So that for me is probably my favourite things.”
“The feeling of knowing I’ve had an impact and I’ve made a small contribution to the success and performance of the team and how that impacts on our country as a whole, that is actually the most special thing about what the Springboks have actually achieved.”
“But also being able to be on the pitch right there in the game, watching the game from the pitch, being involved in the game on the pitch. Yes, there’s a lot of adrenaline and stress and a lot of quick decisions that have to be made in that setup, but that’s one of my favourite things about the job as well.”
Naturally, we hope that there are many women that play the same or similar roles to Naylor in national teams and highly successful clubs. As a major player in a male dominated set-up, she says she’s noticed some improvements in the number of females in these roles.
“I would love to think that more and more females are prepared to consider a role in rugby, in male rugby, in male sporting codes than in 2008, when I started because I was the first physio that was appointed with the males national team, and yes, I’ve seen more and more females involved in rugby teams, across the board. Club rugby, provincial rugby. I’d like to see that at national level.
“We had the highest component of females in a tournament at the World Cup tournament in 2019, in Japan, and we were successful! And yes, we dropped our numbers and other countries overtook us in 2023 and now there’s me leaving the national team.
“It is important because representation does matter. I’m hoping that I’ve left the Springbok jersey in a better place, that women will be welcomed into the environment, after me,” says Naylor. “The women before me have done so much work. We’ve tried to do so much work in showcasing that women are able to work well in this environment, and to contribute to the success of the team.”
Naylor was a recipient of a Ministerial Recognition of Excellent Award at the gsport Awards in 2020, and she reflects fondly on that moment. “Receiving the award has been the most special time for me, because it was women celebrating women!”
“That is so powerful in sport, particularly, where we know that we as women have to struggle to be recognised. The gender gap is narrowing, but it’s still it’s still very much there. We as women are often fighting for that one seat at the table, which creates an environment where women have to be in a rivalry, in this patriarchal environment, because there’s only one seat at the table!”
“That award and the whole concept of gsport says that we will celebrate and amplify women, because we know there’s extensive evidence that the more diverse teams perform better, they’re more innovative, they produce better.”
“That is what we saw in 2019 with our success, that having more women there did not hold us back. It was what was good for the team.”
“We should not internalise the patriarchal messages that we are not strong, and we are not competent, and we are not as capable as men. And then we work from a scarcity mindset that there’s only one little seat at the table, and we have to fight for that one seat. So, for me, receiving that award was the best thing I’ve achieved.”
In a career spanning from 2008 until 2024, a book can and should be written about Rene Naylor, her experiences, her growth as a Physio that led cutting-edge research, that’s given us the formidable Springboks as we know them today.
With the time she’s spent as ‘Player 24’, what she lists as her highlights will warm the heart of any South African reading this.
“The moment I smile is during the times I think about standing there feeling really proud to be South African, singing the national anthem, seeing people from all over the world have so much respect for our country because of what we’ve managed to achieve and what we as a Springbok team have been able to showcase in being stronger together brings not just not a smile, but also tears to my eyes and sometimes goosebumps.”
“When I think about coming home with the Webb Ellis trophy, seeing people from all walks of life taking to the streets. That always makes me cry with tears of joy and will always be special.”
“To think that South Africans spent hours and hours standing outside, just waiting to catch a glimpse of the heroes, the players, and also to see how much hope it created for so many South Africans. Just seeing what our team had achieved.”
As she departs a role she occupied with so much grace and zeal, it begs the question, what’s next for Rene, which space will she be occupying and influencing positively next?
“Selfishly, I don’t think I’m retiring, because I can’t afford to retire. I’ve still got a lot of school fees to pay. So, yes, I’d love to just be in the bush and be creative and write and reflect on my journey. But unfortunately, you know, you have to work.”
“I am obviously anxious, I have to look at all the opportunities that are around and see what works for me. I’ve worked for over 30 years, so I have lots of experience in understanding the medical side, and management of teams and players, and understanding how teams perform, what makes a team perform.”
“I have a deep understanding of leadership, strategy, diversity, inclusion,” says Naylor.
“I’m hoping that I could continue as a keynote speaker, as a motivational speaker, and to mentor and to assist in and advocate for women to be able to take up positions in male dominated sporting teams, and also to ensure that women also get taken up in leadership positions in male dominated sporting environments.”
Main Photo Caption: Award-winning Springboks Physiotherapist Rene Naylor is hanging up her jersey after being with the team since 2008. Naylor hopes she’s left the jersey in a better place, and talks with Lonwabo about welcoming women in this space. Photo: Supplied
Photo 2 Caption: Her final time wearing the green and gold Bok jersey on official duty was the Springboks’ 45-12 win over Wales, in November, 2024. Photo: Supplied
Photo 3 Caption: In a ‘phenomenal’ journey, Naylor has represented SA at four world cups, and is a proud holder of the 2019 Japan and 2023 France gold medals. Photo: Supplied
Photo 3 Caption: Naylor pictured in the Heart FM studios in Sea Point, Cape Town. The charismatic physiotherapist is not leaving the profession. Photo: Supplied
Photo 3 Caption: Naylor was a Recipient of a Ministerial Recognition of Excellence Award at the 2020 Momentum gsport Awards. Photo: gsport
Photo 3 Caption: She says that the Award and validated her as a woman in the mens’-dominated industry, and vindicated her years of dedication to her profession. Photo: gsport
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