“So Lekka”: Rassie Erasmus Congratulates SA Women’s Rugby on Historic Win
- South Africa’s women’s rugby team made history with their first-ever win over Italy, securing a spot in the World Cup quarter-finals
- Player of the Match Libbie Van Rensburg and captain Nolusindiso Booi hailed the victory as a milestone moment for women’s rugby in the country
- Head coach Swys de Bruin and Rassie Erasmus praised the team’s performance, highlighting the emotional significance and national pride behind the win
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus led the celebrations as the South African women’s team made history in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup on Sunday, 31 August.
The ladies’ team defeated Italy 29-24 to secure a spot in the quarter-finals, marking their first-ever victory over Italy and their debut in the knockout stage of the tournament.
Source: Getty Images
South Africa started the game on the front foot from the very first minute, taking the match to the Italians in a nail-biting encounter. No. 8 Aseza Hele, known for her unstoppable drives, scored the opening try, setting the tone for a memorable performance.
How did the players and coaching staff react after the historic moment?
Player of the Match Libbie Van Rensburg described the achievement as “massive,” adding that the squad had aimed to change the course of women’s rugby in the country.
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“Every player in this team is part of making history, and I think we’ve made South Africa proud,” she said.
Head coach Swys de Bruin echoed the sentiment, calling the moment “unreal” and deeply emotional.
“We’ve never reached the quarter-finals before, and we’ve never beaten Italy. The nation is behind these girls; it’s in our blood. We love this game and have always looked up to the men’s teams, the Sevens, and the under-20s. It was time to catch up, and the girls were absolutely fantastic,” he said.
Captain Nolusindiso Booi described the historic win as “magic” and dedicated the triumph to the pioneers who paved the way for women’s rugby in South Africa. The team also entered the top 10 World Cup rankings for the first time ever.
Source: Getty Images
How did the Springboks coach react to the historic win?
Erasmus, currently in New Zealand with the Springboks preparing for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship games against the All Blacks on 6 and 13 September, woke up early to post his congratulations to the women on X at around 4 a.m.
His post read: “Mooi man en baie geluk to SA Women Boks!! So proud!! So lekka.”
As seen in the tweet below:
Watch a video of Erasmus sending a special message to the women's rugby team.
Erasmus had wished the ladies all the best of luck in the tournament last month before it started. It appears his words resonated with the team as seen by their historic victory on Sunday. The Springboks women’s next match is against France on 7 September.
Rassie Erasmus names squad for All Blacks game
Briefly News previously reported that Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has named a full-strength squad for South Africa’s upcoming tour of New Zealand, despite missing the services of prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, who failed a doping test ahead of the series.
The team will face the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland on 6 September, before meeting them again in Wellington on 13 September. Both fixtures are crucial as South Africa aims to defend its Rugby Championship title.
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Source: Briefly News
