Yonela Ngxingolo takes on captain role of Springbok Women reserve team 'Blom Squad'

Veteran prop Yonela Ngxingolo is set to bring energy and intensity to the reserve squad in Saturday's match against the USA at Loftus Stadium.

The 'Blom Squad'

The Springbok Women's team has presented its own counterpart to the famous men's 'Bomb Squad'—and experienced vice-prop Yonela Ngxingolo is very proud to lead this group. The reserves, affectionately nicknamed the 'Blom Squad,' have become an increasingly destructive force under head coach Swais de Bruin. The bench is expected to play a crucial role during the second test between the Bok Women and the US Eagles on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld.

Ngxingolo's Path to the Role

For Ngxingolo, who will increase her record as the most frequently playing prop in the Springbok Women's team by taking part in the 44th test match, accepting this role has been a profound experience. At 28 years old, she was once a regular starter, but her exceptional versatility and ability to stabilize the scrum made her one of the most valuable 'finishers' in the squad.

Ngxingolo stated: 'Now I understand the impact I have on the team. I always strive to make a positive contribution so we can improve as a team. For me, it's about consistency and showing my best level when called upon.'

Embracing the Substitute Role

She admitted that initially, being among the reserves was not natural for her. 'It was difficult at first because I had high expectations of myself,' she said. 'I didn't understand then that the coaches always have a plan for us to win the game. The more I matured, the better I understood my capabilities, my influence, and my X-factor that comes from the bench.'

Lately, this frontline player even jokes about her unofficial leadership title on match day. 'Recently they call me the captain of the 'Blom Squad',' she laughed.

Tactics and Opponents

Although this nickname inevitably draws comparisons to Rassie Erasmus' world champion 'Bomb Squad,' the Bok Women's version has forged its unique identity. Instead of simply overwhelming opponents with brute physical strength, De Bruin's finishers are tasked with injecting high-energy power, increasing the tempo, and executing precise tactical maneuvers as the contest develops.

This responsibility may prove even more critical this weekend. Although South Africa surprised the Americans in the eighth spot of the world rankings with an exciting first half at Ellis Park last week, securing a historic 34-21 victory, the Eagles managed to come back into the game by scoring three consecutive tries after the break. This exposed defensive weaknesses late in the game, which the Bok Women have been working hard on throughout the week.

Preparation for the Pretoria Match

Ngxingolo reported that the coaching staff has already made adjustments to their tactical plan for the confrontation in Pretoria. 'We had a very good start last week, and I think we will maintain that plan, perhaps with a few tricks here and there,' she said. 'The second half was a bit shaky, so there are some small changes in that direction, and we have a different plan for the second half and what we are going to bring.'

She also smiled while describing De Bruin's unpredictable training style. 'Swais is actually very mysterious,' she noted. 'He always has a different plan for every game, so it is very hard for opponents to analyze us. I like that about him.'

Significance of the Home Game

The match on Saturday holds immense emotional significance for the large contingent of Bulls Daisies in the national team returning to their favorite home ground in Pretoria. 'This is our home crowd,' added Ngxingolo. 'It will be great to have our people nearby supporting us.'

If the Bok Women can conclude the monumental push of the series and underscore their dramatic upward trajectory since the last Rugby World Cup cycle, much will depend not only on another explosive start but also on whether Ngxingolo's 'Blom Squad' can deliver the conclusion with equal force.

iol.co.zaJuly 1, 13:15

Springbok Women adjust strategy ahead of US test series after Nadine Roos injury

The Springbok Women team has focused on the upcoming match against the USA at Ellis Park, relying on squad depth and the power of their forwards to cope with the absence of injured star Nadine Roos.

Impact of Player Injury

The loss of a player described as the 'X-factor' for the Springbok Women team, Nadine Roos, will not prevent the team from sticking to its playing style during the reception of the American squad this weekend in Johannesburg. Roos, who is the current SA Rugby Women's Player of the Year, is considered a superstar, and her absence is felt by any team during pre-season preparation.

Roos sustained a knee injury during the Bok Women’s Sevens game earlier this year and is expected to undergo a long recovery process over the coming weeks and months. Consequently, the 30-year-old athlete will miss the upcoming bilateral series against the USA, which starts on Saturday at Ellis Park (kick-off at 13:30) and continues a week later at Loftus Versfeld.

Significance of Nadine Roos

Nadine Roos is regarded as one of the best playmakers in world rugby currently. Due to her skills in the Sevens format and her versatility—she can play as a halfback, wingfield, or fullback—she presents a dangerous target for opposition defense, whether as a distributor, first receiver, or during counterattacks. Against the USA, who prefer an expansive game plan, she would have had numerous opportunities to attack the opposition's defensive line.

Team Strategy Adaptation

Nevertheless, the Bok Women will have to do without her participation. Assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt is confident that the team possesses the necessary mental resilience, physical fitness, skills, and squad depth to handle this task, relying on players in positions #9: Unam Tosi, Felicia Jacobs, and Anakadia Minnar.

The latter played in the recent African Championship title defense for the Bok Women, starting against Madagascar and Kenya, and also came on as a substitute against Uganda, while Insaaf Levi—who is not part of the current 30-woman squad—served as a reserve. Johannes-Haupt explained that 'Nadine played in the nine position in our system.' He added that 'we have two players in the nine position who participated in the African Cup to bring them up to the required level. They all bring something to the team. We have adapted our playing style so they can achieve the best result with the players in our system.'

Tactical Preferences

The halfback lineup for this weekend will depend entirely on the bench selection, which will be announced at the team briefing on Thursday. It is expected that Tosi will start and may finish if coach Sviss de Bruin chooses a 6-2 formation. This formation is considered preferred because, as Johannes-Haupt explained, the Bok Women like to dominate the attack using their forward pack. He noted: 'We like to dominate up front, so our forward play will be the engine of the game. Later in the match we can become more expansive and open up to achieve our goals.'

Goals for the next two weeks include finding synergy, forward dominance in play, and utilizing backline advantages gained through dominance in possession. A victory will be sufficient reward for achieving these objectives.