Swys de Bruin: 'The Daisies have set a benchmark for others to follow'

Springbok Women head coach Swys de Bruin described the Bulls Daises as the “benchmark” for domestic women’s rugby in South Africa.

On Saturday afternoon the Daisies won the 2026 Pick n Pay Women’s Super League 1 title with a 36-15 win over the Boland Dames in the Final.

It is the fourth year in a row the side have topped women’s provincial rugby in the country.

“The Daisies have set a benchmark for others to follow, there can be no doubt about that and I have to say, they hardly put a foot wrong all season,” said De Bruin.

“They really played at a good pace and intensity, giving their opponents a clear indication of what is needed to be successful at the top levels of the game.

“It was good to see that a number of players that played well for us in last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup continued that form into this competition.”

Springbok and Bulls back Jakkie Cilliers again topped the overall points scoring tally [88 points] and Bulls wing, Thobile Msizazwe, was the competition’s top try-scorer [12].

Next week De Bruin will host his first Springbok Women camp of 2026. It is a big year for the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final team, who host the USA Women’s Eagles and Black Ferns this year.

“We have some tough matches coming up this year as we move into the top tier of the game and it is good to know some players are battle hardened already,” De Bruin said. “We will need that.”