Delta Drone TuksWomensRugby Sevens team have returned unbeaten from Europe, having won a tournament in France and a game in Scotland.

Impressive would be an excellent way to describe the team's heroics. In the seven games played, they scored 212 points and only conceded 12. 

It is why coach Riaan van der Merwe could not stop smiling after the Delta Drone Tuks Team won 38-0 against the Rugby People Sevens team. The two teams played an exhibition match before the Melrose Sevens Centenary Cup final. 

After the final whistle, the Tuks "girls" got a standing ovation from the crowd. According to Van der Merwe, he has been told it is not something that often happens. But the Tuks players showed that women could play rugby as good as any man.

"I was told it was the first time People's Sevens team lost. The most rewarding aspect of coaching is when everything comes together during a game," Van der Merwe said. 

Tuks's women are not the university's first team to win at the Melrose  Sevens Tournament. Tuks men's team also won roundabout 2010. There is a Tuks jersey in the clubhouse to memorialize their heroics. 

Marlize de Bruin was, without a doubt, one of the outstanding players. What is astonishing is that she captained the Jaguars netball team last year to win the Telkom League. De Bruin decided that she wanted to take a short sabbatical from playing netball at the beginning of the year. So she took up sevens rugby. 

Few people might believe that the Melrose Sevens Tournament was only the third time she had played competitively. 

Marlize de Bruin scored in the first 30 seconds. The Springbok Women Sevens international player, Nadine Roos, dotted the ball down less than two minutes later. De Bruin scored in the sixth minute again to make the halftime score 26-0. 

But the best was yet to come. In the first 30 seconds of the second half, De Bruin possibly scored the match's best try. She got the ball metres from the Tuks' try line and "weaved" her way through the outstretched hands of every defender. It was also she who set up Roos for Tuks's sixth try. 

Van der Merwe was so impressed that he contacted the Springbok women's sevens coach, telling him that he should think about playing De Bruin in his starting lineup. Last week, he did the same when Tuks won the Ovalyonne Tournament in France, beating the Clermont Auvergne University 24-5 in the final. 

"I am impressed by Marlise's tactical savviness. She can change the direction of the game at any moment. She has a brilliant sidestep. More importantly, she is a quick learner.

"Nadine was equally brilliant. In France, she scored ten tries. If there were a player of the tournament award, Nadine would have received it. Our Springbok sevens player, Liske Lategan, also seemingly could do nothing wrong. Kirsten Eastes was ruthless on defence. She made tackle after tackle without ever getting tired. 

"I actually don't like singling out players. The five days had been a team effort. Every player that took to the field for Tuks stepped up."

During the Ovalyonne Tournament Tuks had beaten Nancy 61-0, UDL 50-0, Fort Hare 40-0, Grenoble 19-0 and Clermont 24-5.

Next month, the Delta Drone Tuks team will play in France and Spain.