Aseza Hele back for Springbok Women's two-Test tour of Fiji

Aseza Hele is back in Swys de Bruin’s Springbok Women squad for the first time since Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

Last time the back-row played Test rugby was when South Africa exited the Women’s Rugby World Cup with a quarter-final loss to the Black Ferns.

She has been named in a 26-player squad that will travel to Fiji to take on the Fijiana XV in a two-match Test series.

This year Hele has missed the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and a two-match Test series against the USA Women’s Eagles in Johannesburg and Pretoria with a hand injury.

Lindelwa Gwala has also returned to the squad following recovery from a calf injury. Patience Mokone and Zintle Mpupha have been recalled by head coach De Bruin after turning out for Cecil Afrika’s sevens side this season.

Eight players will remain in Stellenbosch for rehabilitation: Sanelisiwe Charlie, Micke Gunter, Danelle Lochner, Logan Welman, Unam Tose, Jakkie Cilliers, Ayanda Malinga and Aphiwe Ngwevu.

De Bruin said: “This will be a challenging trip, but for us in 2026, it is all about pushing beyond comfort zones and in this case, time zones.

“It is a long way to travel, but in the wider plan, that is what we will have to do when the next World Cup is played in Australia too.”

Much like the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup, De Bruin will stay in Stellenbosch with assistant coaches Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September taking charge of the squad in Fiji.

Springbok Women squad to Fiji

Forwards
Babalwa Latsha (captain, DHL Western Province)
Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Golden Lions Women)
Yonela Ngxingolo (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
Nombuyekezo Mdliki (Border Ladies)
Thandile Mazwi (DHL Western Province)
Lindelwa Gwala (Sharks Women)
Anushka Groenewald (DHL Western Province)
Nomsa Mokwai (DHL Western Province)
Vainah Ubisi (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
Nobuhle Mjwara (Sharks Women)
Catha Jacobs (Golden Lions Women)
Sizophila Solontsi (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
Lerato Makua (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
Aseza Hele (Sanlam Boland Dames)
Sinelitha Noxeke (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)

Backs
Anacadia Minnaar (EP Queens)
Felicia Jacobs (Sanlam Boland Dames)
Libbie Janse van Rensburg (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
Eloise Webb (Sanlam Boland Dames)
Shiniqwa Lamprecht (Sanlam Boland Dames)*
Zintle Mpupha (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
Patience Mokone (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)
Maceala Samboya (Sanlam Boland Dames)
Maria Tshiremba (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)*
Alichia Arries (DHL Western Province)
Byrhandré Dolf (Isuzu Bulls Daisies)