How Springbok Women changed SA rugby in 2025

IN A YEAR that will be remembered as a turning point for South African women’s rugby, the Springbok Women have done more than make history — they have captured the imagination of a nation.

- LEIGHTON KOOPMAN

THE Springbok Women inspired a nation in 2025 by reaching the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup for the first time.

(BackpagePix)

Their run to the 2025 Rugby World Cup quarterfinals in England, the first in the team’s history, was not just a sporting milestone but a testament to years of belief and determination. For a side that has often battled for resources, attention, and respect, 2025 has become the year in which everything clicked.

At the heart of this rise is a coaching trio who refused to accept the constraints they had to perform under: Swys de Bruin, Laurian Johannes-Haupt, and Franzel September. Their combined influence has reshaped not only the team’s rugby identity but also the confidence within the squad, professionalism, and ambition.

De Bruin gave the Women Boks a blueprint for fearless, expressive rugby — something the coach is well known for. His out-of-the-box thinking, especially during training, brought a different game. It sharpened their decision-making, their willingness to attack space, and improved their game under pressure, which saw the team close out tight pool-stage matches that previous generations would have let slip away.