Seventeen players who were part of South Africa’s squad to the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup hosted by Kenya in May, 2026 have been named in the side to play against Ireland in a historic Test series in Cape Town in October.

The match will be a part of the WXV Global Series that was announced at the conclusion of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025. Swys de Bruin, the Springbok Women head coach who did not travel to Nairobi, was satisfied by the players who will also face the USA and New Zealand.

Players who were in Nairobi and are named to the squad are: Alichia Arries, Naima Hlashwayo, Aphiwe Ngwevu, Siphenathi Yeko, Anacadia Minnaar, Logan Welman,  Sinelitha Noxeke, Faith Tshauke, Anathi Qolo, Nomsa Mokwai, Nambuyekezo Mdliki, Anushka Groenewald, Sanelisiwe Charlie, Roseline Botes, Xoliswa Khuzwayo, Yonela Ngxingolo, Nobuhle Mjwara, and Shaunique Alexander.

Busy Schedule

The fixtures will keep the South Africa players busy while most of the countries who were in Nairobi such as hosts Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, and the newly promoted Tunisia will have no matches to hone their skills. 

Kenya Lionesses, runners up in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup, are facing a different off-the-pit battle. Their allowances are unpaid and the players and officials have been bullied into keeping quiet. Talking about unpaid allowances is interpreted as incitement by the powers that be at Kenya Rugby Football Union.

With such an attitude, it does not take a rocket scientist to decipher why some players turn down an offer to play for the national team. 

Grassroots Development

South Africa’s dominance of the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup is a result of an intentional strategic plan that is a culmination of layers of a development plan that has seen women’s rugby germinating from the grassroots.

Winning the Performance Division for the sixth time with a squad that only had a sprinkle of some of the senior team members speaks volumes of the development route. In Nairobi, the team that won the title had nine debutants. The bulk of the senior team players were camping back home for the coming international fixtures.

National Duty

Most of the players who impressed in Nairobi have now been called up for national duty with fixtures against Ireland and the USA.

South Africa women’s team won their sixth title unbeaten. They started the campaign by beating Madagascar 64-5 on May 23, 2026 before registering a 47-20 win over Uganda despite starting slowly. Kenya offered little resistance as South Africa won 35-20.

The final day of the competition saw Madagascar relegated to the lower tier and Tunisia promoted.

Uganda 46 Madagascar 12

Madagascar were quick off the mark scoring the first try in the 11th minute through 11th try Rojoniaina Rafanomezantsoa  and Tiana Razanamahefa converted. Uganda replied with a try by Angela Nanyonjo in the 27th minute and Bushira Namutebi converted to level the scores.

Matsula Nambozo broke the deadlock with the second try for Uganda in the 30th minute and Namutebi added the extras. Nambozo completed her brace two minutes later and Nambozo kicked over the conversion to stretch the lead 14-7. Peace was next over in the 36th minute. Nambozo converted and added a penalty in the 41st minute for a 28-7 at the break.

Yellow Card

On resumption Gertrude Kateesa was shown a yellow card in the 45th minute but Madagascar were unable to use the numerical advantage. Instead, Unity Namulala opened the scoring in this half in the 60th minute. Three minutes later Nanyonjo was sent to the naughty chair.

Madagascar scored their second try in the 66th minute through Valisoa Razanakiniaina. Zaya Fanantenana missed the conversion. Namutebi kicked over her second penalty for Uganda in the 68th minute and Namulala completed her brace in the 81st minute. Namutebi landed her fifth conversion.

South Africa 35 Kenya 20

South Africa broke the deadlock with a try by Alicia Arries in the 12th minute and Jacomina Cilliers slotted the conversion for a 7-0 lead. Kenya Lionesses roared back with an unconverted try by Faith Livoi in the 26th minute.

Sinaida Nyachio who missed to convert Livoi’s try landed a penalty in the 29th minute for a 8-7 lead in Kenya’s favor. 

On resumption, Naima Hlashwayo scored a try in the 44th minute and Arries crossed over for her second in the 56th minute. Cilliers missed both conversions but crossed the whitewash in the 60th minute.

Resurgent Kenya

A resurgent Kenya Lionesses replied with a try by Knight Otuoma in the 65th minute. Nyachio converted before scoring a try in the 74th minute. Immediately after, Edith Naliaka was yellow carded. C

Cilliers drilled over two penalties in the 79th and 82nd minutes before Nobulhe Mjwara scored late in the 83rd minute and Cilliers converted.

Rugby Africa Women’s Cup 2026 

Performance Division: South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar.

Fixtures and Results

May 23: South Africa 64 Madagascar 5; Kenya 43 Uganda 10.

May 27: South Africa 47 Uganda 20; Kenya 57 Madagascar 0.

May 31: Uganda 46 Madagascar 12; South Africa 35 Kenya 20. 

Line ups

Uganda: 15 Matsula Nambozo, 14 Unity Namulala, 13 Grace Nabaggala (Justine Angucia), 12 Peace Lekuru, 11 Getrude Kateesa (Rachel Mufuwa), 10 Bushira Namutebi, 9 Juliet Nandawula (Josephine Babirye), 8 Angela Nanyonjo, 7 Suzan Adong, 6 Cabrine Kirabo (Peace Nemira), 5 Proscovia Mukyala, 4 Hellen Acanit (Leona Acen), 3 Doreen Mbabazi (Christine Kokoi), 2 Fazirah Namukwaya (Phiona Nantongo), 1 Doreen Sijali (Phoebe Nakalembe).

Replacements

16 Phiona Nantongo, 17 Phoebe Nakalembe, 18 Christine Kokoi, 19 Leona Acen, 20 Peace Nemira, 21 Josephine Babirye, 22 Justine Angucia, 23 Rachel Mufuwa.

Madagascar: 15 Tiana Razanamahefa, 14 Zaya Fanantenana, 13 Vacilly Rahariravaka (Dapesse Manampisoa), 12 Valisoa Razanakiniaina, 11 Ginah Raharimalala, 10 Joela Mirasoa Fenohasina, 9 Herita Valimbavaka (Valerie Nomenjanahary), 8 Felana Rasoarimanana (Delphine Raharimalala), 7 Rojoniaina Rafanomezantsoa, 6 Volatiana Rasoanangrasana, 5 Oliviane Andriatsilavina, 4 Felana Rakotoarison (Nofy Nomenjanahary), 3 Eleonore Rasoanantenaina, 2 Laurence Rasoanantenaina, 1 Mamisoa Rasoarimalala. 

Replacements: 16  Elinah Raminoarisoa, 17 Avotriniaina Zarasoa, 18 Valerie Nomenjanahary, 19 Dapesse Manampisoa, 21 Miora Rabarivelo, 22 Nofy Nomenjanahary, 26 Delphine Raharimalala.

Match Officials: Bineta Sene (referee), Rejoice Simeti (assistant)

South Africa: 15 Chuma Qawe, 14 Alichia Arries, 13 Naima Hlashwayo, 12 Aphiwe Ngwevu (Shaunique Alexander), 11 Jacomina Cilliers, 10 Siphenathi Yeko ( Mary Zulu), 9 Anacadia Minnaar 8 Logan Welman, 7 Sinelitha Noxeke (Nobulhe Mjwara), 6 Faith Tshauke (Ntsako Mbombi), 5 Anathi Qolo (Thandile Mazwi), 4 Nomsa Mokwai, 3 Nambuyekezo Mdliki (Yonela Ngxingolo), 2 Anushka Groenewald (Roseline Botes), 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie (Xoliswa Khuzwayo).

Replacements

16 Roseline Botes, 17 Xoliswa Khuzwayo, 18 Yonela Ngxingolo, 19 Thandile Mazwi, 20 Nobulhe Mjwara, 21 Ntsako Mbombi, 22 Mary Zulu, 23 Shaunique Alexander.

Kenya: 15 Freshia Oduor, 14 Janet Okelo, 13 Moreen Muritu, 12 Faith Livoi (Yvette Okech), 11 Stella Wafula (Angel Salamba), 10 Sinaida Nyachio, 9 Judith Okumu (Edith Nariaka), 8 Sheila Chajira, 7 Marvel Oswago (Naomi Amuguni), 6 Nelly Chikombe (Edith Naliaka), 5 Charity Nillah, 4 Naomi Jelagat, 3 Natasha Emali (Knight Otwoma), 2 Naomi Muhanji, 1 Jane Chanya (Jascenta Musakali).

Replacements: 16 Knight Otwoma, 17 Jascenta Musakali, 18 Valentine Otieno, 19 Edith Naliaka, 20 Naomi Amuguni, 21 Edith Nariaka, 22 Angel Salamba, 23 Yvette Okech.

Match Officials: Precious Pazani (referee), Julie Randriarimanana, Rejoyce Simeti (assistants).