SA Women's Sevens gear up for final stop on redemption tour

IT is the last stop on their redemption tour for the Springbok Women's Sevens, who can't afford to leave anything out on the field at the HSBC SVNS Play-off in Los Angeles.

- ROWAN CALLAGHAN

Any stumble is likely to be pounced on by their rivals, and could consign SA to another year in the lower tier of international sevens rugby. One player determined not to let that happen is versatile 27-year-old playmaker Alicia Willemse, even though she is new to the international rugby stage.

It has been a breakthrough year on a number of fronts for the diminutive Western Province star.

She is still riding high after her maiden Test match. She came off the bench as a replacement scrumhalf for the Springbok Women in a one-off international against Spain in Alicante barely two weeks ago.

That honour came barely five weeks after making her debut in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger Series at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.

When she dons the Springbok Women's Sevens jersey again on Saturday, Willemse will be expected to combat and outplay Ireland and China alongside her teammates.