Players of the Springbok Women team believe that participation in intense matches, such as recent home games against the USA, has helped expand their skill set ahead of the test match on Saturday against the Black Ferns in Johannesburg.
Less than a year after their World Cup dream was interrupted by the Black Ferns, the Springbok Women will have a second chance to demonstrate their progress during the rematch between the two teams at the FNB stadium on Saturday.
New Zealand's 48-11 victory in the quarter-finals in Exeter last September ended South Africa's historic run to the top eight, although the Bok Women reached a 10-10 draw at halftime before the experienced Black Ferns took the lead.
This match serves as a historic starting point for the third encounter in the greatest rivalry between the Springboks and the All Blacks.
Women's Rugby
For Katja Jacobs, who is likely to earn her 31st international cap, memories of that match remain fresh, but so does the belief that South Africa has changed since then.
Jacobs noted: 'We left the field disappointed after the quarter-final match against the Black Ferns.' She added: 'It was great to make the top eight for the first time, and even better to go into halftime with a 10-10 score against a team that dominated the World Cups for decades. However, the second half did not work out for us.'
This time, South Africa arrives on home soil with greater confidence following a drawn series against the USA and a 2-0 away win over Fiji. Jacobs believes the improvements go beyond the physical strength that was long a hallmark of the Springbok Women's game.
Katja Jacobs emphasized: 'We will never give up our strengths in the first phase and our physical power, but we have added diversity to our game.'
Women's Rugby
Wynah Ubhisi also approaches the rematch on Saturday with a desire to prove herself. The powerful forward recovered from a knee injury before the World Cup and admitted it was difficult to make an impact after arriving in England without sufficient match fitness. In the quarter-final, she came on as a substitute when New Zealand took control of the game.
This time, Ubhisi is fit, confident, and healthy. The 23-year-old athlete has scored in South Africa's last three matches—against the USA and twice against Fiji—and believes she is ready to show the Black Ferns what they didn't see in Exeter.
Ubhisi stated: 'They didn't see my best at the World Cup,' adding: 'My experience with the Black Ferns wasn't the best, but now, less than a year later, I can fix that. It almost feels like I will meet them on my terms this time.'
Ubhisi's return to full physical condition has boosted her confidence, and the forward has embraced her role as a 'driver' for the Bok Women. She said: 'I am satisfied with where I am right now in terms of fitness, physical conditioning, and growth as an international forward.'
This confidence will be tested against the world number two team, but South Africa will have the advantage of playing in front of its home crowd at the country's largest stadium. The match is also part of a major double fixture involving the Springboks and the All Blacks. Nevertheless, for Jacobs, the main interest is finding out how far the Bok Women team has progressed.
She concluded: 'Fiji and the USA also participated in the World Cup. I believe we have improved in most of these three [competitions].'
The test match on Saturday at the FNB stadium will start at 13:30.