Springbok Women settle into Cardiff as Wales challenge looms

The team arrived in Wales on Sunday evening and got straight into their preparations on Monday.

The Springbok Women had a low-key but productive first training session at Cardiff Metropolitan University as they began sharpening their plans for Friday’s WXV Global Series opener against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park.

Rain and strong winds made conditions difficult at times, but Johannes-Haupt says the weather did little to affect the mood in the camp.

"The first training session in Wales was amazing and they are slowly getting used to the weather conditions we'll be facing on game day. The girls are in great spirit." 

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Wales have won six of the eight previous meetings between the sides, with the Springbok Women’s most recent victory coming in 2010.

The Bok Women are also coming off a busy international season which included retaining the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup, series victories against the USA and Fiji, and a defeat to world champions New Zealand earlier this month. 

Their European campaign now offers another test against a side they have not faced since 2021.

The squad left Cape Town on Friday with a late change to the touring group, after Anacadia Minnaar was unable to make the trip. Her absence saw Felicia Jacobs brought into the squad, with the utility back already familiar with the team after travelling to Fiji last month.

Jacobs also knows Wales well, having made her Springbok Women’s Test debut against the Welsh in Cardiff in 2019.