Refiloe Jane on reaching 150-Cap milestone for Banyana Banyana

The achievement comes after South Africa secured a 1-0 victory over Japan in their second and final international friendly at the J-Green Sakai Field in Osaka on Tuesday. With Jane joining an elite group of players to have reached the landmark, including former captain Janine van Wyk (185 caps), defender Noko Matlou (174 caps), and midfielder Nompumelelo Nyandeni (150 caps). She says she is now shifting her focus to the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

“I am very excited to have reached 150 caps for the national team. It feels like a huge achievement and I am very happy and humbled by the journey I have gone through to get to where I am. It was not easy and there are still many challenges ahead because there is a lot that lies before us.

“Now we are preparing for WAFCON, which is also a pathway to the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The journey itself has been an interesting one, full of ups and downs, but overall I am grateful for the experience,” said Jane.

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Jane credited discipline and a strong support system for helping her overcome challenges throughout her career and reach the milestone. She also highlighted South Africa’s triumph at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations as the biggest moment of her career.

“To have reached 150 caps is special. I know it would not have been possible without the support I get from home, the support I get from the team, and the opportunities provided by the management.

“I would say the biggest highlight was winning WAFCON 2022. Just being part of this team is a dream come true for me. Not everyone gets the chance to represent their country at this level, so I remain humbled and grateful for the opportunity,” added Jane.

The 33-year-old midfielder also reflected on Banyana Banyana’s performance during their two-match series against Japan, saying the team responded positively after suffering a heavy defeat in the first encounter.

“We made a lot of corrections from the first game. We sat down as a team and said there was no way we were going home with two defeats. It was up to us to give everything in the second fixture, and our goal was to make sure that by the end of the match we came out victorious,” she expressed.