Shikwenga Lemprecht showed a strong debut at centre against Fiji last week, but in the upcoming second match in Lautoka, she might be offered a different role as a substitute.
Lemprecht is seen as a potential answer for South Africa to the growing demand for hybrid players, as the Springbok Women team aims to complete a winning streak against Fijiana XV in Lautoka on Saturday (broadcast starts at 3 am South African time).
The 23-year-old sevens star made an impressive debut in the centre match last week when the team won 55-12 in Suva. She has now been included in the bench squad and can come on the wing if necessary at Churchill Park stadium.
Assistant coach Lorian Johannes-Haupt believes Lemprecht is perfectly suited for this role, drawing parallels with how Springbok star Andre Esterhuizen has become an increasingly useful option both in the backline and in the back six.
Johannes-Haupt noted: 'She is very exciting. She is a strong, aggressive ball carrier, and also a great defender, so she fits perfectly into our typical hybrid role. After all, it's just a number on the back.'
Their dominant playmaking laid the foundation for the big win by #BokWomen in Suva. The concept of hybrid players is not entirely new to the Springbok Women, as rising star Logan Wellman was also identified as a potential hybrid player, but now Lemprecht may get the opportunity to demonstrate the value of her versatility at Test level.
South Africa decided to use a 5-3 formation on the bench in the second match on Saturday, instead of the 6-2 combination that helped them dominate Fiji's attack in Suva. This gives the coaching staff greater flexibility, allowing Lemprecht to cover the centre position or move to loose forward if the situation requires it.
Johannes-Haupt emphasized: 'Shikwenga gives us this option. She can also play at centre, where she performed excellently last week. We will see how the match develops and what we need to do when activating our bench.'
These experiments are part of a deliberate attempt to expand South Africa's capabilities, rather than simply replicating the formula that brought the nine-try victory in the first match. Further positional changes in the backline are also planned: Zintle Mpufa moves to inside centre, and Maseala Samboya shifts from wing to outside centre, while Maria Tschermba makes her Test debut in the starting lineup.
Among other changes in the #BokWomen squad for the second match against Fiji are minor adjustments. The sevens, who scored 64 tries in 20 short-format tournaments, will be the 195th player to receive the Springbok Women captain's star.
Johannes-Haupt also noted: 'It is very nice to see Maria's debut, as well as the girls playing in different positions so that we can truly test our depth in specific positions.'
Babalwa Latsha returns to the captaincy, bringing rich experience and composure to the attack that formed the basis of last week's convincing victory. After such a strong start, South Africa has the opportunity to experiment with combinations, but Johannes-Haupt insists that the goal remains playing exciting rugby.
