The Springbok Women’s Sevens ‘A’ finished sixth at the 2026 Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens, where Uganda claimed a first continental title and the HSBC SVNS 3 place with a 33-0 win over Tunisia in the final, at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday, 7 November and Sunday, 8 November 2026.
Vianca Boer’s young South African side won three matches and lost three. Pool A wins of 57-0 over Rwanda and 26-10 over Zimbabwe were followed by a 19-14 defeat to Zambia, who came back from 14-0 down to top the pool and condemn South Africa to a quarter-final against the eventual champions.
Sunday started with a 24-17 loss to Uganda, in which the South Africans trailed 17-7 at half-time and fought back without threatening the result. A 48-0 win over Mauritius in the fifth-place semi-final set up a rematch with Zambia, who won 17-12 despite playing a player short after a red card. South Africa led 12-0 at half-time and could not close out the match.
Hayley Hardneck finished as South Africa’s leading points scorer with 41 points from three tries and 13 conversions. Her Boland teammate Tereské Kabuika-Ilunga scored six tries, including one from the kick-off in the opener against Rwanda, and captain Boer scored five.
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Head coach Cecil Afrika had selected a development squad with only four HSBC SVNS-experienced players and six international sevens debutants, with South Africa’s place in the HSBC SVNS 2 series from January already secure.
South Africa had won the previous four editions of the tournament, including a 22-0 final victory over Kenya at the same venue in 2025.
Uganda were the team of the weekend. The Lady Cranes conceded tries in only two matches, beat hosts Kenya 19-14 in the semi-final with a last-gasp try from captain and Player of the Tournament Peace Lekuru, and shut out Tunisia 33-0 in the final, Lydia Namabiro scoring a hat-trick, to book their place at HSBC SVNS 3 in Dubai on 27 and 28 November.
Kenya took bronze with a 27-7 win over Zimbabwe, rounding off a remarkable week for Kenyan women’s rugby.
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On Tuesday, 3 November the Rising Lionesses beat Australia 17-12 in extra time in the girls’ rugby sevens final at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, with Mitchelle Chemtai scoring the golden-point try after Australia had beaten them 17-5 in the pool stage.
It was Kenya’s first Olympic gold medal in a team sport and the first rugby sevens gold for an African nation at Olympic or Youth Olympic level. Madagascar took the bronze medal in Dakar.
South Africa’s Matches at the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens, RFUEA Grounds, from Sat 7 Nov to Sun 8 Nov 2026
Sat 7 Nov: South Africa 57-0 Rwanda (Pool A)
Sat 7 Nov: South Africa 26-10 Zimbabwe (Pool A)
Sat 7 Nov: South Africa 14-19 Zambia (Pool A)
Sun 8 Nov: South Africa 17-24 Uganda (Cup Quarter-Final)
Sun 8 Nov: South Africa 48-0 Mauritius (Fifth-Place Semi-Final)
Sun 8 Nov: South Africa 12-17 Zambia (Fifth-Place Final)
Final Standings of the Rugby Africa Sevens Series Kenya 2026
1. Uganda
2. Tunisia
3. Kenya
4. Zimbabwe
5. Zambia
6. South Africa
7. Madagascar
8. Mauritius
9. Ghana
10. Burkina Faso
11. Rwanda
Springbok Women’s Sevens ‘A’ Scoring
Tereské Kabuika-Ilunga 6
Vianca Boer 5
Hayley Hardneck 3
Isabella Nel 3
Jané Mulder 3
Siphumelele Mdlalose 3
Lilitha Vakalisa 2
Marli George 1
Shanidiné Bezuidenhout 1
Voice Ndou 1
Conversions
Hayley Hardneck 13
Marli George 4
Rugby Africa Africa Sevens Series Kenya 2026 Pools
Pool A: South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda
Pool B: Kenya, Tunisia, Ghana
Pool C: Uganda, Madagascar, Mauritius, Burkina Faso
The Springbok Women’s Sevens ‘A’ Squad at the Rugby Africa Africa Sevens Series Kenya 2026
1 Shanidiné Bezuidenhout (Western Province)
2 Jané Mulder (Blue Bulls)
3 Owami Mohuli (Free State)
4 Voice Ndou (Western Province)
7 Vianca Boer (captain, SA Rugby contracted)
9 Isabella Nel (Western Province)
10 Hayley Hardneck (Boland)
12 Kiera Bowker (Western Province)
14 Lilitha Vakalisa (Border)
15 Siphumelele Mdlalose (Golden Lions)
16 Marli George (Western Province)
23 Tereské Kabuika-Ilunga (Boland)
Management
Cecil Afrika (Head Coach)
Obakeng Molopyane (Strength And Conditioning Coach)
Reagan Cele (Physiotherapist)
Thandiswa Nxomani (Team Manager)
Original Copy: SA Rugby Communications, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Uganda celebrate a first Africa Women’s Sevens title after beating Tunisia 33-0 in the final, with Lydia Namabiro scoring a hat-trick and Player of the Tournament Peace Lekuru having sunk hosts Kenya in the semi-final, to secure the HSBC SVNS 3 place, at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi, Kenya on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Photo: Rugby Africa
Photo 2 Caption: The Springbok Women’s Sevens ‘A’ huddle after finishing sixth at the 2026 Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens. Photo: SA Rugby / Gallo Images
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