Youthful Springbok Women’s Sevens squad embraces Hong Kong challenge

Under the guidance of coach Cecil Afrika, the South Africans head into the tournament ranked 11th out of 12 teams and have focused heavily on mental preparation to cope with the absence of experience.

Malinga says the group is determined to rise above those setbacks when they take to the field at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong.

"The build up has been good. We had to prepare ourselves mentally because we know that we have lost impact players, but we have to move forward," said Malinga

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"So we came in on monday, we had flush out yesterday and Chukkas against Fiji. Those went well. So I'm really looking forward to the weekend. I think the senior players need to step up and show themselves that they are here and we are capable of playing without Nadine.

"Yes, she makes a big difference in the team, but I feel like there's also other players that can make a difference. So we just have to believe in one another and just keep on fighting until the end."

South Africa have been drawn in a challenging Pool B alongside Australia, Canada and Great Britain. Malinga, who has crossed the try line 14 times across eight tournaments on the series, will take on the captaincy in the absence of Roos.

She says her focus will remain on maintaining consistency in her approach, while also helping the team build on the progress shown during the SVNS Challenger Series.

Owami Mohuli and Jane Mulder are set to earn their first caps for the Springbok Women’s Sevens side at Kai Tak Sports Park. 

Mohuli, who grew up in KwaZulu-Natal, discovered rugby unexpectedly after initially playing netball and football, but has quickly risen through the ranks.

Mulder’s pathway into elite rugby began at provincial level with the Golden Lions Women, before she progressed to the Junior Springbok Women setup. Her breakthrough in sevens came late last year after joining a training camp and featuring for the ‘A’ side at the Dubai Sevens International Invitational.

Rugby runs deep in her family, as she is the daughter of 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok centre Japie Mulder, and she says that upbringing has played a significant role in shaping her understanding of the game.