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The Nadine Roos promise after Springboks seal World Series return
Nadine Roos flew back to Japan this week chuffed that the Springboks are back on the elite World Rugby Sevens circuit for next season – an achievement that was the perfect birthday present for her 78-year-old grandmother. A star of South African women’s rugby, Roos last week told RugbyPass in Cape Town how there was a two-fold reason behind why she wanted to be crowned a 2023 Sevens Challenger Series title champion.
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Victory would secure her country’s automatic promotion to the elite stage of World Rugby Sevens next season, and it would also put a beaming smile on the face of the person she most treasures in his life. The South African star was placed in an orphanage as a toddler only to be rescued by her grandmother, who will now revel in seeing Roos and her team compete against the world’s best next term.
“She will definitely be proud,” enthused Roos, talking to RugbyPass again in Stellenbosch with the shining Challenger Series trophy in her hands after a dramatic second-leg final versus Belgium was won by South Africa with a buzzer-beating try.
“We were a bit nervous when you saw the clock ticking off, but there was great composure and calmness from the whole squad on the field and to finish off with a try was special. That was a massive fight from the whole team.
“When you pull this jersey over your head it always comes with a lot of pride and passion and respect for the badge and the ladies showed good character on the field. We were trailing by two points and those are normally situations where you would panic in a game.
BREAKING: A try after the buzzer has clinched ??@WomenBoks? a #7sChallengerSeries final win over Belgium and sealed a return to the #WorldRugby7s series next season ? pic.twitter.com/m4tS8ObPju
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 30, 2023
“But just from everyone sticking together, having each other’s backs, a few mistakes from all of us on the field and sticking together as a team and just finishing off and using the momentum that came our way in that match, it just showed great character from the team.”
The hard work now starts, however. It was last December when the Springboks took part in the Cape Town leg of the HSBC series and it was a case of defeat after defeat, the tournament starting with a 52-0 pool hammering by Australia and ending with a 15-5 loss to Japan in the 11th place playoff final.
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Now that they have secured a ticket to participate full-time on the elite circuit, Roos believes the potential to thrive exists. “Definitely. Whenever you get your opportunity to play on the world stage like that, we are not only going to participate, we are going there to compete and make a statement on the World Series as well.
“Within our squad, we have enough talent and the abilities to win games on the World Series and really grow each tournament that we get the opportunity in.”
Roos will attract the attention of the opposition after her stellar performances in Stellenbosch. “Even with all the tries I scored over the tournament, it also goes to the rest of the team, forwards dominating in front and giving good quality ball for the back line and that is what we live off when we execute, getting a clean ball like that and we managed to do that.”
It was November when Renfred Dazel took over from Paul Delport, who stepped down as coach after the Rugby World Cup Sevens in September, and the victory in Stellenbosch left him emotional, according to Roos. “The coach didn’t say anything in the huddle. He was a bit emotional, but it was good to finish off with coach Ranfaud by qualifying with him.
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“It just shows how much it means for him as well. He and the whole management have put a lot of hard work in building up to this tournament and just a massive thanks to them for believing in the ladies and believing in the system, the plans that they made to make this possible that is also very special and special to share it with them.”
"My parents weren’t part of my life so (lack of) money was a factor in my upbringing, but it didn’t stop me doing the things I love…"
– @WomenBoks Nadine Roos tells her inspiring life story to Liam Heagney ??? in Cape Town #7sChallengerSeries #HSBC7s https://t.co/aldWAXHBJ8
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 27, 2023
Comments on RugbyPass
Well where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
2 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
2 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
3 Go to commentsWhy not let the media decide. Like how they choose the head coach. Like most of us we entrust the rugby system to choose. A rugby team includes the coaches. It's collective.
14 Go to comments