When coach Cecil Afrika and his coaching staff selected the 14-player Springbok Women’s Sevens squad to represent the green and gold, three new players got the call-up. Among them was Catha Jacobs, who has returned after representing the Springbok Women side. 

After a dominant display in Nairobi, Kenya, the Springbok Women’s Sevens team (Imbokodo) goes back to the drawing board for the upcoming tour to Montevideo, Uruguay, from 21 to 22 March, and São Paulo, Brazil, from 28 to 29 March.  

^{Catha Jacobs returns to the Imbokodo for a second stint as they prepare to fight their way back to the sevens top-flight circuit. Jacobs amassed 26 caps for the Springbok Women’s side before returning to sevens. PHOTO: Supplied/Nerine Pienaar}

Jacobs was not new to the world of sevens, and has returned for her second stint with the Imbokodo, following her debut appearance in 2019. Afrika says Jacobs brings a good presence and physicality to the team.

Captain Nadine Roos was enthusiastic about the inclusion of Jacobs, saying that her previous experience has already been seen in training. Roos asserted that Jacobs was not added to the squad as simply an injury replacement, but rather that Jacobs’s skills and experience are an asset to the team.

Two more players were added to the squad, one of them being Shanidiné Bezuidenhout, a former Varsity Netball and Varsity Cup women’s winner from Stellenbosch University (SU). She has been training with the team since late 2025, and was part of Springbok Women’s Sevens ‘A’ team, which played in an invitational tournament in Dubai.

Afrika said that the inclusion of Bezuidenhout was a reward for her hard work in training. He aimed to provide her with experience and expose her to the top level of sevens rugby, and help her find a good level of consistency. 

^{Maceala Samboya (left), captain Nadine Roos in the middle, and coach Cecil Afrika (right). Coach Afrika is excited to hand Samboya her first cap for the Imbokodo, stating she brings a lot to the team. PHOTO: Supplied/Nerine Pienaar}

Maceala Samboya, with seven caps for the Springbok Women’s side, joined the Imbokodo on the plane.

Afrika was excited to add Samboya to the squad. He said that she brings a lot of strengths that the team need, particularly highlighting her footwork and finishing ability, which he finds  are important strengths that can help the team improve.

With most of the squad retained for the trip to Montevideo, Leigh Fortuin missed out due to injury.

^{Coach Cecil Afrika said that the hot conditions in Stellenbosch during the training camp help them prepare for the South American heat. PHOTO: Supplied/Nerine Pienaar}

The team is set to travel with 14 players as a precautionary measure, said Afrika. He explained that if injuries occurred during the first-leg of the tournament, additional players would be able to slot in, reducing the need to make additional travel arrangements.