Springbok Women at Athlone: Moments of promise in a difficult finish
Words and photographs by Benita van As
With 20 minutes left at Athlone Stadium on Saturday, the Springbok Women were leading Ireland 17-14. From behind my camera, just behind the try line, I hoped they could hold on and finish the season with a win. It wasn’t to be. Ireland finished strong to take the match 38 – 17 in the WXV Global Series.
The afternoon had started promisingly with Unam Tose putting the first point on the scoreboard with a try in the second minute. After photographing the captain’s run at UCT on Friday morning, it was wonderful to see the women in action and to be there for those early celebrations.
At UCT, spirits and energy had been high. There were passing drills and line-outs, smiles between drills, and support for one another. Captain Sizophila Solontsi said they had used the week to work on missed opportunities, errors and discipline following their previous weekend’s 40-27 defeat to Ireland.
The Bok Women made several changes for their last match of the season, with Mary-Zulu starting at flyhalf, Byrhandré Dolf moving to fullback, and Jakkie Cilliers shifting to right wing.
After Tose’s early try, Ireland took the lead through converted tries from Erin King and Beibhinn Pasrons. Solontsi’s try shortly before half-time kept South Africa close, with Ireland leading 14-10 at the break.
Then came Vainah Ubisi’s try in the 58th minute. Cilliers added a conversion, and our women were back in front. With just over a quarter of the match remaining, there was still a chance to finish the year with a win. Ireland responded quickly. Parsons went on to complete a hat-trick, while Aoife Dalton scored twice as the visitors extended their lead. South Africa struggled to contain them out wide, and yellow cards and missed tackles added to the pressure.
After the match, co-head coaches Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September spoke about the disappointment of losing after being ahead so late in the game. There had been improvements since the first encounter, but Ireland made better use of their chances and maintained their accuracy through the final stages.
Both coaches also acknowledged the progress made during the season. Injuries had affected selections, but had given younger players opportunities to gain experience as the squad prepares for the next World Cup.
For Solontsi, the break was an opportunity to keep working on individual skills and build on what the team had achieved.
I would have loved to see them finish with a win. Looking through the photographs, I’m reminded of the excitement when they crossed the try line, the determination as they took on the defence, and the moments when they gathered together. It was wonderful to follow our women from Friday’s preparations to Saturday’s match, and I look forward to seeing them back on the field next year.
Match information and captain’s and coaches’ comments supplied by SA Rugby. Team details checked against the match-day team sheets.
Images from the match and captain’s run are available on request from Benita van As Photography. For enquiries, please contact Benita via sport@benita.co.za
