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Here For Her: Dawn of a New Era as Women's Rugby World Cup Takes Centre Stage

football22 August 2025 07:07| © SuperSport
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© SuperSport

The first-ever captain of the Springbok Women's rugby team, Nomsebenzi Tsotsobe, one of SuperSport’s isiXhosa commentary team, can’t hide her excitement when asked about the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Tsotsobe, who led the Boks to their inaugural Rugby World Cup appearance in Canada in 2006, says the women’s game has evolved incredibly, and that will be in full display come Friday when the spectacle kicks off in England.

 

“The Women’s Rugby World Cup isn’t just about the matches; it’s also special because every tournament seems to raise the bar and how far the women’s game has come in professionalism, visibility, and fan support,” Tsotsobe told SuperSport.

Tsotsobe pointed to the growing momentum of women’s rugby worldwide, highlighting the increase in media coverage, female coaches, and bigger crowds.

"You’ll see the best teams (England, New Zealand and Canada) showcasing incredible skill, pace, and power in this tournament.”

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SuperSport and SA Rugby have given their full backing to the Springbok Women, demonstrating their support with powerful, unifying campaigns.

SA Rugby launched the #PlusOne campaign, a nationwide movement designed to rally the nation behind the team, celebrate their progress, and ignite national pride.

The campaign's rallying cry, "Follow Our Journey. Be Our +1," invited every South African to contribute to the team’s pursuit of excellence, celebrating the power of small steps—from one extra repetition in the gym to one extra supporter in the stands.

SuperSport, meanwhile, relaunched the world-first Here For Her campaign, now in its third iteration since launching during the 2023 Netball World Cup, when SuperSport became the first broadcaster in the world to deliver a major international tournament with an all-female production crew.

Here For Her is now part of SuperSport’s continuous goal to uplift women’s sport and women in sport, which includes the launch of the 24-hour dedicated All Women’s Sport channel on DStv Stream channel 244 (Stream only), accessible to viewers on the DStv Access package across South Africa and the Rest of Africa.

Together, these two campaigns provide a powerful and unified foundation of support for the Springbok Women as they head to the Rugby World Cup.

The Women’s Rugby World Cup kicks off on Friday, 22 August 2025, with a game between hosts England and the USA, which will be shown live on Your World of Champions, SuperSport.

DStv Channel 199 will serve as the home of the Women's Rugby World Cup. The channel will be available to DStv Access customers for the duration of the tournament, ensuring as many African rugby fans as possible get to witness the global showpiece event.

The Springbok Women, Africa’s flagbearers at the tournament, begin their campaign on Sunday, 24 August, against Brazil, and Tsotsobe is feeling positive.

"I am positive that they will win their first game against Brazil," she said.

“They had more exposure in playing with top international teams and got to test themselves against top-tier nations … that way, they have built depth with their growing professional core."

However, she warns against underestimating their opponents.

"Brazil is a very spirited side, quick, unpredictable, and they play with a lot of flair, especially in broken play, so they must not let their guard down. Brazil is the kind of team you can’t underestimate; they will make SA work for every point."

When asked about the Springbok Women’s team’s overall prospects, Tsotsobe expressed optimism.

"South Africa is more positive coming to this tournament, very confident, right space and attitude. For them to excel will depend on the selection of the team (combination) and consistency in how they play under pressure.

“Discipline will also be one of the key areas that will need to concentrate on. If they reach the knockout stage, that would be a huge step forward, and that will be a message to all that South Africa is no longer just ‘participating,’ but truly competing."

Tsotsobe has listed New Zealand, England, Canada, and France as her favourites to win the tournament.

Having captained the Springbok Women’s team in a World Cup, Tsotsobe says Nolusindiso Booi, the current captain, has a huge job on her hands, but is confident in her abilities as a leader.

“It was a pride to lead the team in the green and gold, as much as it has its own responsibility of setting standards on and off the field. Nolusindiso must make sure the team knows what needs to be done for this Rugby World Cup,” Tsotsobe concluded.

Former Springbok captain Mandisa Williams is also full of excitement for the spectacle.

"I am extremely excited, there is huge interest in the tournament, and I am anxious at the same time because of all the developmental efforts from World Rugby and SA Rugby, and SuperSport's commitment to a sport for all and the #HereForHer campaign building awareness throughout has been magical," said Williams.

Asked about her thoughts for the Springboks' opening game, she is expecting a tough encounter for the Bok ladies.

"I know Brazil for their resilience at the HSBC SVNS circuit and not too much with 15s competitions. South Africa needs to stay aligned with game structure and individual functional roles, composure throughout and take all the opportunities supporting each other in all aspects of play. Great defensive pictures with reactive skills on counter should give us the edge and ultimately win the game," she said.

"South Africa is currently in a building phase but we should be able to set a good tone in our pool, play each game as if our lives depend on it."

Just like Tsotsobe, Williams' favourites to win the tournament are New Zealand's Black Ferns.

"It would have to be the Black Ferns, but with the growth of competitive games in the PWR in England, I hope the Red Roses pull an upset. There will be eyes on Canada, too. It's going to be a super tight contest with no one guaranteed a win."

Also on the ground in England, ready to cover all the action, is SuperSport presenter and commentator Layla Arrison, a former member of the Springbok Women's sevens invitational team and the first female English rugby commentator for a Springbok game on SuperSport.

Arrison says she is thrilled to be in England for the spectacle.

"It is the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup ever and what a privilege to be a part of this story. I am absolutely thrilled to be here," Arrison said.

"Coming from a country that is still trying to find its feet in the women’s rugby space, to being here where every single person involved is excited to be here is such an amazing feeling. We get to be the voices to make history, and that is the best feeling."

Arrison believes the Springbok Women are geared up and ready for the challenge.

"I think the Springbok Women have done enough in terms of preparation and coming into the tournament with confidence.”

"This isn't just two weeks of preparation; this is a full cycle of preparation that is coming to fruition, but now it’s about doing."

SuperSport will be your home for every single match from the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

Don't miss a moment of the action as a new chapter in women’s rugby history is written.

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