‘I literally felt like a failure’: How Anushka Groenewald fought her way back to the Springboks

Anushka Groenewald picked up a rugby ball for the first time four years ago but in a whirlwind journey she has carved a spot for herself in the South Africa team. Last weekend she played in her hometown of Cape Town for the first time in a Springbok Women jersey.

The hooker has had quite the acceleration in her career but not everything has been smooth sailing.

She won her first international cap in 2025 but that nearly never came to be. In January 2023 she broke her ankle and was told she would never play rugby again. The 21-year-old says her serious injury three years ago saw her experience the “lowest point” in her life.

“I was starting to play at the Under-20s at club level and it just snapped,” she says. “I was like ‘okay I haven’t made Western Province, I haven’t made anything’. I literally felt like a failure.

“I knew I had to lift myself up because you are the only person who can do that. There are people who are there for you but if you don’t make that decision and actually go forward, you won’t grow or learn or be better. Four months later I started playing [again].

“I think it was a very big mental thing. My parents always support me but for them they didn’t want to see their child hurt or injured. So for four months I was basically bed ridden, I had to stay in bed. I wasn’t allowed to go out because if I got hurt again it would have made it even worse.

“Having so many people talk, all of these voices, it was too much at that point. I was feeling very low in life, I think it was the lowest I have ever felt. The injury already makes you feel like that and now there are so many voices and not being able to play rugby, which was my escape.

“Having to get out of that mental battle was really tough and it took me a while. But I had to make a decision to block all of that out and know that if it is the Lord’s will I will be able to play rugby again.”

Groenewald’s late introduction to rugby came as she had played netball for 12 years. The switch to another sport was one that was effortless.

“I really wanted to make Western Province Colours, that is the next step in netball and I was just never good enough,” she says. “The dream was to make the first team in high school. The opportunity came and they said you can play netball for the first team or you can be the first team captain for rugby.

“When I touched the rugby ball it was just natural. I didn’t have to try. I didn’t have to train so hard to be able to feel like I am finally good enough.

“It came so naturally so I decided to play rugby and I haven’t made a mistake by choosing that. It honestly happened through asking God what my purpose was in life and what my strength in life was. It came through the Lord and what he wants from me and I took it with both hands.”

Groenewald now has 14 caps to her name and the latest came in front of her family and friends for the first time in the Springbok Women’s 40-27 loss to Ireland in WXV Global Series.

“It was crazy,” she says. “Obviously the nerves were there knowing that everyone was watching and everyone was physically there but just knowing that and I could take all of that in and experience that all in person [was amazing]. Afterwards being able to see them and the smiles on their faces and giving them kisses throughout. It was so magical and memorable.”

While playing in Cape Town was a great experience for Groenewald, the team did not pick up a win in front of a strong home crowd. This week in training the Springboks Women have been throwing everything into making their rematch against Ireland have a different outcome.

“We had such an amazing few opportunities that [in our review] we were like ‘we did this and this well’,” she adds. “But there were opportunities where we lacked. They took our mistakes and used them for their own [gain]. I think over this week we have tried to minimise mistakes as much as possible.

“Obviously it starts in the training sessions. So if you don’t make a dominant hit in training are you even going to make a dominant hit on Saturday? So whatever we did this week we were like ‘this is what is going to happen at the weekend’.

“So, minimising mistakes, going over the things we are good at and trying to execute it even better. I believe with what we have done and how prepared we are for this weekend, we will definitely see a different game from ourselves. We back each other and we are excited to see what we can do against them.”

Groenewald is in the first part of her journey with Boks women but she has big ambitions for the next few years.

“I think the 2029 World Cup is definitely something I am striving to go to,” she adds. “It’s three years to go and I think that will always be something I am striving and working towards.”