Faranah Burger knows only one way to play rugby: to put her body on the line, and with good reason, she wants the team to win.

Saturday in Kimberley will be no exception. Burger is co-captaining the Delta Drone TuksWomensRugby Sevens team at the USSA Rugby 7s Championships. Earlier this year, she was also captaining TuksWomensRugby 15s Varsity Cup team.

Burger is keeping mum informed about what she thinks might happen on the field. Making predictions beforehand is not her thing. Experience has taught her that rugby games are won between the lines, doing the hard tackles, thinking on your feet, and sidestepping opponents.

However, it won't be a surprise if the Tuks team contests the final. The team's coach, Riaan van der Merwe, is a wily strategist. He has a knack for getting his players to step up when it matters.

Playing sports has always been an integral part of Burger's life. Growing up in Worcester, it was a case where you named the sport, and Burger would be able to play it.

Many might not know it, but she was also a brilliant chess player. As a junior, she was selected to compete at the South African Chess Championships. Unfortunately, due to reasons over which she had no control, she could not go.

Playing rugby has always been her passion. Her first memory of playing was with boys at home.

"I wanted to play at school also, but I was not allowed to join in because I am a girl. It was not going to stop me. I still got to play with the boys when no one was watching. It was the behind-the-scenes stuff. You can say I was playing 'illegally'. Luckily, when I reached Grade 7, the girls had their own rugby team."

According to the Tuks educational student, rugby has always been a big thing in her family. On the days the Springboks played, emotions ran high.

"My dad is an avid All Blacks and Crusaders supporter, while my grandad supported the Springboks. At first, I sided with my dad, as daughters should. But then I got thinking. I would never play for the All Blacks or any New Zealand team. So why should I support them? I started dreaming of playing for the Boks. So now I am supporting them."

Last year, Burger made her debut for the Bulls Daisies team. It led to her dad having to make a compromise as to his rugby loyalties.

"My dad agreed to support the Bulls when I am playing. He will even raise a flag if I got the ball in hand."

Burger relishes the challenges that come with playing as a loose forward. 

"I consider myself a classical forward whose role is to set up scoring opportunities for the backline."