'I loved the idea immediately': How a hybrid role has reignited Ngwevu's Test career

Aphiwe Ngwevu’s Test rugby career has been reignited after she took on a hybrid role with the Springbok Women.

The 28-year-old endured a challenging Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 1 season with the Border Ladies and thought her days wearing an international jersey could be numbered.

That thought could not have been further from the truth. Instead Springboks head coach Swys de Bruin asked the two-time Women’s Rugby World Cup veteran to adopt a hybrid role – much like Springbok Men’s player Andrew Esterhuizen – and be deployed in either the midfield or the back-row.

“I loved the idea immediately,” Ngwevu said. “I always say I am a centre playing like a forward, so I was very keen on the idea, as I think this will add to me being valuable to the coaches as well.

“Which means I can still play for this team I gave so much of my life to, but that gave me so much back as well.”

In South Africa’s 34-21 win over the USA Women’s Eagles at Ellis Park last Saturday, Ngwevu gained over 100 metres for her team from 14 carries and beat two defenders in the demolition job.

The game was won at half-time as Ayanda Malinga, Unam T0se, Babalwa Latsha and a Logan Welman brace put clear daylight between the two teams.

Vainah Ubisi bagged South Africa’s sixth try of the game early in the second half before the USA registered all three of their scores in the final 20 minutes.

“Our game plan suited me so well, I almost felt it revolved around me,” she said. “I love taking the ball up, hitting rucks and tackling opposing players and the way we played, I could do all of that.

“It was the best test match I have been involved in since I joined the team. In fact, this is the best team I have played with in all of my test matches.”

The Boks are on the lookout for a two-Test whitewash against the Eagles. On Saturday the teams will meet again, this time at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld, and South Africa have a chance of overtaking their visitors in the World Rugby Rankings.

Ngwevu said: “We showed what we can do at Ellis Park, especially in that first half, but we all know we can do better.

“We respect the USA, they are ranked above us on the world ranking after all. But we know we can get even better than last weekend when we recorded our biggest win over them.

“The belief in the team is real; we can really take Springbok Women to places they have never been.”