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'If I lose my position, I lose my contract, my family won’t eat'

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 27: Sanelisiwe Charlie of South Africa during the WXV 2 match between South Africa and Samoa at Athlone Stadium on October 27, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Sanelisiwe Charlie might be the most ironically named rugby player in the world. The Springboks prop’s first name means ‘we are satisfied’ in isiXhosa.

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Usually reserved for a child born after multiple siblings – she is the fifth of five girls – this name denotes contentment.

Charlie feels the opposite. Which explains why, since making her senior debut in 2020, she’s not once had a scrum penalty blown against her.

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Swys De Bruin on Bok Women’s big plan for World Cup

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Swys De Bruin on Bok Women’s big plan for World Cup

“It’s true,” she insists. “I take scrums very seriously. It’s something I’m very proud of. Milking penalties, making those hits, pushing as hard as I can. I love it.”

South Africans have always shown love for the big units in the front row, but these past eight years have seen this relationship blossom. Players like Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira, Frans Malherbe, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent ‘Mr Incredible’ Koch, and Ox Nche – who thrust the phrase ‘salads don’t win scrums’ into popular discourse – have reshaped the image of this largely misunderstood position.

Charlie is determined to add her name to the list. “I want to be that person in the women’s game,” says the 24-year-old with 21 caps for her country.

“It’s not easy. I have a lot of work to do. We’re developing as a team. I know I’m not there yet. I know we’re not there yet as a team. But I want to be. I dream of winning a penalty for my team and helping them win a game. That’s all I want.”

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What distinguished Charlie from her male counterparts – indeed, what distinguishes many female Springboks from their male counterparts – is that she did not grow up with a passion for the game.

“Rugby was sort of forced on me,” she explains. “Living in the Eastern Cape I obviously knew about rugby, but it’s not like I was interested in playing.

“But because of my body shape, people kept saying, ‘you need to play, you need to play’. I was 18. I just thought, ‘why not’. So I tried. And the rest is history.”

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Charlie is unafraid to venture into the sensitive subject of body image and how women can feel pressure to look a certain way. Of course men experience this as well, but society at large is often more forgiving of a man with a paunch.

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“If I had a six pack there is no way I could scrum as well as I do,” Charlie says with a laugh. “No prop in the world has a six pack and that’s OK. I’m not saying I don’t have work to do. I want to get fitter and I know that I need to get fitter.

“But I want to tell girls that it’s OK to look how you look. I am grateful for my strength. I use my strength to push for my country. Why would I not be proud of that?”

That’s not the only reason why she packs down in the scrum. She is the sole bread-winner in her family and provides for her mother and four sisters.

“I think of them whenever I crouch down to scrum,” she says. “Maybe that’s why I’ve never lost a scrum. How could I lose a scrum or give away a penalty when I’m pushing for my family to eat?

“If I don’t keep winning penalties then someone else will come and take my position. And if I lose my position, if I lose my contract, then my family won’t eat. I can’t let that happen.”

As one 11 Bulls Daisies players named in the matchday 23 for the Springbok Women’s final WXV 2 game against Italy on Saturday, Charlie is a full-time professional.

Her conditioning is closely monitored. Her nutritional needs are calculated to the calorie. When she’s not training she is resting and recovering. It is no wonder that the Bulls have swept to consecutive Women’s Premier Division titles with a formidable pack driving the team to glory.

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That physicality has since been transferred to the Boks where a front-foot game-plan has been implemented and a homage to the men’s so-called Bomb Squad is now a staple of the group.

“I take responsibility for that physicality,” Charlie adds. “We’re out there to cause trouble. We want to land big hits. We want to knock the other team backwards and let them know that we’re South African. That we take this seriously. That playing against us is serious.

“We have a lot of work to do. Our defence [against Australia in a 33-26 defeat in Cape Town] was not great, but we know where we have to improve. But we were happy with how we took on the challenge.

“I’d never played Australia before and they were so fast. It showed me I need to work on my feet and speed and other stuff but I know I didn’t go backwards in the scrum. That will never happen.”

Charlie will start on the bench this weekend and says she is “determined” to see out a win, but, like most voices from the camp, she downplays the importance of this solitary result.

“We’re all about the World Cup [next year in England],” she says. “That’s what we’re all talking about. We’re not afraid to say it. We’ve now started winning and we like the feeling. We want it more. But we also know that we’re building towards something big next year. If we can keep going we’ll do well.

“I’ll keep pushing hard. For my family and for South Africa. For all young girls who want to play rugby. Ya, I can say that I’ll always keep pushing.”

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Comments

3 Comments
B
BP 126 days ago

I mean the desperation in south african politics due to everyone lining up for position and placement.. over population is the issue here

B
BP 173 days ago

Here we go with this bullshit

C
CN 126 days ago

What do you mean?

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I
IkeaBoy 17 minutes ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


“I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


“I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


“lol u really need to chill out”

Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

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f
fl 59 minutes ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


“Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

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I
IkeaBoy 1 hour ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

171 Go to comments
f
fl 2 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“He won a ECL and a domestic treble at the beginning of his career.”

He won 2 ECLs at the beginning of his career (2009, 2011). Since then he’s won 1 in 15 years.


“He then won 3 leagues on the bounce later in his career”

He won 3 leagues on the bounce at the start of his career too - (2009, 2010, 2011).


If we’re judging him by champions league wins, he peaked in his late 30s, early 40s. If we’re judging him by domestic titles he’s stayed pretty consistent over his career. If we’re judging him by overall win rate he peaked at Bayern, and was better at Barcelona than at City. So no, he hasn’t gotten better by every measure.


“You mentioned coaches were older around the mid-2010’s compared to the mid-2000’s. Robson was well above the average age you’ve given for those periods even in the 90’s when in his pomp.”

Robson was 63-64 when he was at Barcelona, so he wasn’t very old. But yeah, he was slightly above the average age of 60 I gave for the top 4 premier league coaches in 2015, and quite a bit above the averages for 2005 and 2025.


“Also, comparing coaches - and their experiences, achievements - at different ages is unstable. It’s not a valid way to compare and tends to torpedo your own logic when you do compare them on equal terms. I can see why you don’t like doing it.”

Well my logic certainly hasn’t been torpedoed. Currently the most successful premier league coaches right now are younger than they were ten years ago. You can throw all the nuance at it that you want, but that fact won’t change. It’s not even clear what comparing managers “on equal terms” would even mean, or why it would be relevant to anything I’ve said.


“You still haven’t answered why Kiss could be a risker appointment?”

Because I’ve been talking to you about football managers. If you want to change the subject then great - I care a lot more about rugby than I do football.

But wrt Kiss, I don’t agree that 25 years experience is actually that useful, given what a different sport rugby was 25 years ago. Obviously in theory more experience can never be a bad thing, but I think 10 years of coaching experience is actually more than enough these days. Erasmus had been a coach for 13 years when he got the SA top job. Andy Farrell had been a coach for 9 when he got the Ireland job. I don’t think anyone would say that either of them were lacking in experience.


Now - what about coaches who do have 25+ years experience? The clearest example of that would be Eddie Jones, who started coaching 31 years ago. He did pretty well everywhere he worked until around 2021 (when he was 61), when results with England hit a sharp decline. He similarly oversaw a terrible run with Australia, and currently isn’t doing a great job with Japan.

Another example is Warren Gatland, who also started coaching full-time 31 years ago, after 5 years as a player-coach. Gatland did pretty well everywhere he went until 2020 (when he was 56), when he did a relatively poor job with the Chiefs, before doing a pretty poor job with the Lions, and then overseeing a genuine disaster with Wales. There are very few other examples, as most coaches retire or step back into lesser roles when they enter their 60s. Mick Byrne actually has 34 years experience in coaching (but only 23 years coaching in rugby) and at 66 he’s the oldest coach of a top 10 side, and he’s actually doing really well. He goes to show that you can continue to be a good coach well into your 60s, but he seems like an outlier.


So the point is - right now, Les Kiss looks like a pretty reliable option, but 5 years ago so did Eddie Jones and Warren Gatland before they went on to prove that coaches often decline as they get older. If Australia want Kiss as a short term appointment to take over after Schmidt leaves in the summer, I don’t think that would be a terrible idea - but NB wanted Kiss as a long term appointment starting in 2027! That’s a massive risk, given the chance that his aptitude will begin to decline.


Its kind of analagous to how players decline. We know (for example) that a fly-half can still be world class at 38, but we also know that most fly-halves peak in their mid-to-late 20s, so it is generally considered a risk to build your game plan around someone much older than that.

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AlanCriner 3 hours ago
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