--- title: "Springbok Women’s matches against Canada provide a litmus test of team’s growth" description: "The Bok Women will be looking for an improved showing against Canada as they build towards next month’s Rugby World Cup." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "ROUND TWO" author: "Keanan Hemmonsbey" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/keanan-hemmonsbey/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-07-09-springbok-womens-matches-against-canada-provide-a-litmus-test-of-teams-growth/" published: "2025-07-09T16:01:52" updated: "2025-07-09T16:01:54" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 784 --- # Springbok Women’s matches against Canada provide a litmus test of team’s growth > The Bok Women will be looking for an improved showing against Canada as they build towards next month’s Rugby World Cup. By Keanan Hemmonsbey · Published 9 July 2025, 18:01 SAST · Updated 9 July 2025, 18:01 SAST ## Key points - After a humbling 50-20 defeat to Canada, the Springbok Women are scrambling to turn their rugby fortunes around ahead of the Rugby World Cup, proving that even a steep upward trajectory can hit a few potholes along the way. - Springbok Women face a setback with a heavy 50-20 loss to Canada, highlighting defensive vulnerabilities ahead of their rematch in Gqeberha on July 12. - Under the guidance of coaches Swys de Bruin and Bafana Nhleko, the team has shown significant improvement, aiming for success at the Rugby World Cup 2025. - Despite the defeat, De Bruin remains optimistic, noting progress since their last encounter with Canada, where they lost 66-7. - The team’s powerful scrum and strategic player shifts, like moving Nadine Roos to scrumhalf, indicate ongoing tactical adjustments as they prepare for the World Cup. ## Content The Springbok Women have been on a steep upward trajectory across the last year but received a reality check against Canada at Loftus Versfeld last weekend, suffering a 50-20 loss. They face the same opponents in Gqeberha on Saturday, 12 July. The Bok Women have grown significantly since experienced coach Swys de Bruin and former Junior Springbok coach Bafana Nhleko have been at the mantle since August last year. The coaching changes were put in place with the goal of the team reaching new heights at the Rugby World Cup 2025, which gets underway next month in England. So far, everything has run smoothly. But for the first time in 11 months, the team have faced their biggest hurdle and suffered their biggest defeat in that time against second-ranked Canada. #### **Outplayed** The Springbok Women were completely outplayed at Loftus, with Canada creating linebreaks seemingly at will. The first half was particularly poor from the national women’s side, as they were lucky to go into the break only 26-3 down. The breakdown was a mess as well, with the Bok Women at sea, conceding penalty after penalty in the first 40 minutes. **Read more:**[It’s not all about the Springboks this weekend as women and Junior Boks face stern challenges](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-07-03-springbok-women-and-junior-boks-face-stern-challenges/) “We gave away four soft tries and that was 28 points gone,” De Bruin said after the match. “Against a team like Canada, who is really skilful and have a good style of rugby, that is never going to give you the result you want. “Also, six of the first seven penalties against us were for breakdown infringements, and that is something we will have to look at this coming week.” They came out with a renewed intensity in the second stanza and scored 17 points, although the defence still had gapping holes, conceding 24 points. ![Aseza Hele of South Africa tackled by Laetitia Royer of Canada during the Women's International Friendly match between South Africa and Canada at Loftus Versfeld on July 05, 2025 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/5rRaABR_U0bQsR7kIj8wYBE1cj0=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TL_2418068.jpg) *Aseza Hele of South Africa is tackled by Laetitia Royer of Canada at Loftus Versfeld on 5 July 2025. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)* #### **Still improving** Since De Bruin took the reins, the Bok Women were within a bounce of a ball away from beating Australia and Italy, two teams also much higher on the rankings than the Boks, in sixth and eighth respectively. South Africa (SA) is languishing in 12th place. While SA wasn’t able to replicate the form they have displayed recently, which include a 48-26 over Spain earlier this year, De Bruin remains pleased about the progress his side has made. “Last time we played Canada, they won 66-7 and \[we\] showed that we are closing the gap,” he said. “The improvement is real and the whole purpose of this match was to show us where our weaknesses are, and we are doing well. “The same will apply next weekend \[against Canada\] and when we play the Black Ferns XV in a couple of weeks’ time. If we learn from the lessons and eliminate them, we will keep improving as we get closer to the Rugby World Cup.” The positive for the Springbok Women is that their scrum remains one of the most powerful in the game as they dismantled the Canadian pack nearly every time of asking. ![Springbok Women Head Coach Swys de Bruin in Stellenbosch. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/TPIinTrXocrEGE_7eNcE30oSH0I=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/TL_2407253.jpg) *Springbok Women Head Coach Swys de Bruin in Stellenbosch. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)* De Bruin also opted to move dynamic playmaker Nadine Roos to scrumhalf around the 60-minute mark. It allowed SA’s most skillful ball player regular access to the pill. Roos has been shifted around the backline spine under De Bruin. He played Roos at flyhalf across the WXV2 last year, before shifting her back to the 15 jumper against Canada and then moving her to scrumhalf. “I am happy to play wherever the coach wants me to play and it went well when I moved from fullback to scrumhalf in the second half,” Roos said. “I just want to be around the ball and where the action is, and I’m happy that I got that chance.” #### **Rugby World Cup** Every dart being thrown at the board by De Bruin is to see what sticks and what can be implemented at the World Cup in England next month. There the team has a chance to reach the knockout stage of the tournament for the first time. SA has Brazil, Italy and France in their group. They are expected to beat 28th-ranked Brazil, but then should not be reliant on the bounce of the ball to defeat Italy. Their final group game against fourth-ranked France will not have any consequence if they do achieve that. If not, they will need to beat France. The team’s next showing against Canada will provide a solid indication of how close the Springbok Women are to defeating the upper echelon of teams. **DM**