Last weekend, the Bulls Daisies claimed a comprehensive 31-0 win over Border Ladies at Police Park in East London in the opening round of this season’s Women’s Premier Division.

Those uninitiated in domestic women’s rugby might see it as a run-of-the-mill result for a mammoth union to beat a smaller one.

But Border Ladies are the reigning champions of the Women’s Premier Division. In fact, they’ve pipped runners-up Western Province to the title in the past two seasons.

The change this season is that the Bulls Daisies (formerly known as Blue Bulls Women) recently became the first franchise women’s rugby team to become professional in South Africa.

Contracting 35 players, they have lured some of the best in the country to Pretoria with smart recruiting.

The additions include several Border stars and stalwarts such as their former skipper Lusanda Dumke, Unam Tose, Yonela Ngxingolo and Asithandile Ntoyanto.

On top of contracting players, the Bulls Daisies – coached by Hayden Groepes assisted by former Springbok captain Mandisa Williams – have set up a high-performance base in Pretoria, headed by former Bok flank Thando Manana.

“We’ve got to understand that the rise of women’s rugby is a big part of [the current climate] and it’s a culture within our rugby sphere here in South Africa,” Manana told Daily Maverick about the Bulls’ decision to invest more in their women’s programme.

Thando Manana.(Photo: Michael Sheehan / Gallo Images)

URC for women on the cards

Since SA Rugby’s entrance into the United Rugby Championship (URC) in 2021, there have been talks on expanding the competition to include a women’s version. The Bulls Daisies plan to be the first cattle at the ranch when that is set in motion, according to Manana.

“[There is] a possibility that there could be a URC with two South African teams participating once that happens,” he said.

“And thus the Bulls company, alongside the Blue Bulls Rugby Union and the board, took it upon themselves to be the flag bearers of seeing an opportunity and also wanting to move with it.”

The Bulls were aware of the strong challenge they would face in vying for one of the two South African spots in the URC. Western Province and Border Ladies have dominated the Women’s Premier Division for the past few years, having contested the past three finals.

However, with financial insecurity at the two Western Cape unions, the Bulls company saw an opportunity to enhance their women’s team’s chances of gaining entry into the prospective tournament by developing their own programme that could compete with the best.

“At this stage you have Border, who are the defending champs, and Western Province – both of whom are [in financial difficulties] – but they are performing exceptionally well,” Manana said.

“Meaning that politics and the game on the ground are not on the same paths. Women’s rugby is above what is happening at these unions.”

The Bulls’ ambition in professionalising their women’s rugby is twofold: to compete with the best teams in the country and to have the structures in place to be selected as one of the two teams to participate in the prospective women’s URC.

“The Bulls need to compete with them,” Manana said, “and also have an opportunity to know that this could be an ideal project to run with because of the ambition of being one of the two URC teams whenever it’s granted that we could have South African teams that play there.”

The Bulls vs Bulldogs game at Police Park on 6 May 2023. (Photo: Supplied)

 A different approach

Although now blessed with a squad saturated with talent, the Bulls Daisies have the added challenge of losing several international players when Springbok duty calls in both the Sevens and 15s formats.

The Women’s Premier Division runs from the start of May to 26 August, when the final is scheduled.

At least 28 Springbok Women players will not be available for selection between 14 and 28 May, when the national squad are in camp and will travel to Madagascar for the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup.

The recent Springbok Women’s Sevens Challenger Series triumph means that the national Sevens players will be on the road – on the World Series – a lot more next season, too.

Nevertheless, in their thumping victory over Border last weekend, the Bulls Daisies were without some star players – Springbok lock Rights Mkhari, centre Zintle Mpupha and flying winger Ayanda Malinga, who were rested at SA Rugby’s request, while flyhalf Libbie Janse van Rensburg and flank Sizophila Solontsi played off the bench.

The Daisies’ newfound depth allowed them to prevail despite the absence of their big-name stars.

“I’m quite pleased with how things have started, and I’m also happy for the players that took and grabbed the opportunity with both hands,” Manana said.

“With the SA Sevens having won the Challenger Series, some of the players might be playing Sevens in the following year while they are part of the Bulls, which means we have to continually have a good-enough squad that can take us forward.”

‘We want to be pioneers’

The national Springbok Women’s team was  dismal at last year’s World Cup, hosted in New Zealand. They failed to exit their group, finishing last in Pool C, with no wins in their three matches.

Last year, SA Rugby director Rassie Erasmus said the women’s game is “higher ranked in our organisation than the Blitzboks and the Junior Springboks”.

But the results have not reflected that assertion. For the national team to improve, the domestic structures need to be in place as a pipeline leading to higher honours.

And, for that to happen, professional women’s rugby franchises – such as the Bulls have implemented – need to take ­precedence.

“The vision is there; it’s how [other] unions buy into that vision,” Manana added.

“The Bulls have bought into the vision and we’ve given these talented women athletes the opportunity to showcase themselves.

“What is important for us is that we are building. We want to be pioneers, because we are a winning province that is known for winning trophies, but also we’re not lagging behind by not wanting the same for the women’s team. We want the women’s team to inherit that culture.

“But also be part of creating an environment which will assist them to become winners.” DM168

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R29.