"Let me have the ball, and I will give you speed" is the promise Anele Mgwazela made to her teammates before the 2024 FISU World University Championships Rugby Sevens kicked off in France. 

The Tuks student-athlete kept her word. She was involved in scoring tries against their group opponents such as Spain, Mexico, and Poland. 

The South African women's team lost 24-12 against Spain but beat Mexico 24-10. South Africa had to dig deep to beat Poland 10-7. The victory came at a cost for the South Africans as the captain, Tracey Mthunzi (Tuks), dislocated her shoulder. It immediately became doubtful that she would play against Japan - a must-win game for South Africa. 

South Africa finished sixth out of 10 teams in the women’s division at the Aix Marseille Provence 2024 FISU World University Championship Rugby Sevens.

Mgwazela is a newcomer when it comes to playing rugby. At school, she was an avid netball player. She only started playing rugby last year when she began to study at Tuks. Everything changed when she saw women running with a ball, trying to sidestep opponents. It looked like fun, so she asked if she could join in. 

"I thought I would give playing rugby a go for a week. If I don't like it, I will return to playing netball. I never did go play netball again," said the education student.

"I was pretty nervous when I had to play my first game in sevens rugby. I tried to run away from our opponents when I got the ball. I still got tackled. As I got up, I thought it was not that bad. From then on, I started to enjoy playing. 

"A definite highlight was last year when Tuks went to play in France. That moment I scored a try is one I will never forget."

The TuksWomensRugby player expresses a passion for rugby, embracing it as a challenging sport. She also credits her brother for inspiring her interest and involvement in the game.

"I reason that if the 'boys' can play rugby, why can't I? My best quality on the field is that I bring 'speed'. If you give me the ball, you get the 'wheel' when I run. My teammates call me 'Habana.

"I owe a lot to my brother Samkelo Mgwazela - a professional footballer. He is the one who taught me to never give up on my dreams.