Springbok Women roll the dice with reshuffled pack for Ireland Test

The Springbok Women will face Ireland for the first time in 20 years with a reshuffled front row following injury to captain Babalwa Latsha.

Co-head-coaches Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September have moved Xoliswa Khuzwayo to tighthead prop, and named Sanelisiwe Charlie at loosehead prop. Anushka Groenewald retains her spot at hooker.

Replacement loosehead prop Yonela Ngxingolo is in line to earn her 50th cap and will be just the second player to reach that milestone. Lindelwa Gwala and Thandile Mazwi will also offer front-row support from the bench.

Franzel September, Springbok Women co-head coach, said: “We could call on Thandile with great confidence as she played for us already this year and did well, the same as Xoliswa, who has been in the squad all season.

“Tighthead is an important position in any team, even more so in our squad where we rate our scrums as a factor in any match, so having depth there worked out nicely for us.

“As a squad we are also extremely pleased for Yonela and her family and happy that she could share this milestone in front of what we hope to be a good crowd at Athlone Stadium.

“She has been around since 2018 and in recent seasons, she became a very strong bench player for us, something she will do again this weekend.”

Sizophila Solontsi captains the team from the back-row alongside Lerato Makua and Aseza Hele. Catha Jacobs partners Vainah Ubisi in the second row.

In the backs, Unam Tose starts at scrum-half and Byrhandré Dolf is named at fly-half. Maria Tshiremba’s inclusion on the wing is the only other change to the team that beat Spain 20-0 last time out. She starts in a back three with Jakkie Cilliers and Alichia Arries. Shiniqwa Lamprecht and Maceala Samboya are the starting centres.

South Africa matchday 23 v Ireland | WXV Global Series 2026

15 Jakkie Cilliers (RC Toulon Provence Méditerranée, 29 caps)
14 Alichia Arries (DHL Western Province, 12 caps)
13 Maceala Samboya (Sanlam Boland Dames, 14 caps)
12 Shiniqwa Lamprecht (Sanlam Boland Dames, 5 caps)
11 Maria Tshiremba (SA Rugby contracted, 3 caps)
10 Byrhandré Dolf (SA Rugby contracted, 33 caps)
9 Unam Tose (Isuzu Bulls Daisies, 34 caps)
1 Sanelisiwe Charlie (Isuzu Bulls Daisies, 35 caps)
2 Anushka Groenewald (DHL Western Province, 13 caps)
3 Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Golden Lions Women, 16 caps)
4 Vainah Ubisi (Isuzu Bulls Daisies, 30 caps)
5 Catha Jacobs (Golden Lions Women, 34 caps)
6 Sizophila Solontsi (captain, SA Rugby contracted, 39 caps)
7 Lerato Makua (SA Rugby contracted, 22 caps)
8 Aseza Hele (Sanlam Boland Dames, 38 caps)

Replacements
16 Lindelwa Gwala (Sharks Women, 43 caps)
17 Yonela Ngxingolo (Isuzu Bulls Daisies, 49 caps)
18 Thandile Mazwi (DHL Western Province, 5 caps)
19 Danelle Lochner (Harlequins Women, 27 caps)
20 Logan Welman (DHL Western Province, 9 caps)
21 Aphiwe Ngwevu (Border Ladies, 39 caps)
22 Anacadia Minnaar (EP Queens, 9 caps)
23 Mary Zulu (Sharks Women, 19 caps)