The TuksWomensRugby player, Nadine Roos, is a Springbok Women and Sevens international player. Currently, she is part of the South African national women’s rugby team for the 2021 Rugby World Cup – women’s tournament in New Zealand.

Beat France and play in the playoffs. That is the challenge that awaits the Springbok Women on Saturday when they play their opening match at the Rugby World Cup in Auckland.

From a statistically perspective, it seems like a mission impossible. Last year, France rumped to a 46-3 victory over South Africa. Of the four encounters played since 2009, France has won three. The first encounter between the two teams ended in a draw. France is currently ranked fourth in the world, while the Boks are ranked 11th. 

The Springbok fullback, Nadine Roos, quickly points out that no game is ever won on paper. 

"I firmly believe that any team can be beaten on a good day. Ultimately, it boils down to which team wants it the most. To guts . . . putting bodies on the line. Each of us in the Springbok team knows that beating France will define how the World Cup Tournament plays out for us. If we win, the next challenge will be not to slip up against Fiji. I back us to winning, but it will be foolish to take anything for granted. Fiji is not a bad team.

"Coming back to the game against France. If it is not meant for us to win, I hope we will at least put points on the board to give the French a run for their money."

The Springbok Women will play England in their last pool game. In an honest assessment, Roos admits that it is improbable that they will beat England.

"There is a reason why England is the top team in the world at the moment. They have won their last 25 games on the trot. It is the longest winning streak in rugby (men's and women's)," explained the Tuks-based player.  

Roos will have the distinction of being one of the few ever Springboks who will play two World Cup Tournaments within weeks. In September, she represented the Boks Sevens Team at the World Cup Tournament in Cape Town. 

The Tuks graduate became the darling of the South African fans, scoring five tries. Her fleet-footed exploits did not go unnoticed. She ended up being selected for the 2022 Rugby Sevens World Cup Dream Team in Cape Town. Which is quite a feat considering the Boks finished 14th. 

Roos does not consider switching rugby codes to be a big deal. 

"I think I have become a better player playing traditional rugby and sevens. Sevens has taught me how to handle one-on-one encounters on the field. It is also a faster game. It is easy to find a gap to go and score. In traditional rugby, you have to think on your feet to outsmart opponents."

Roos has so far scored five tries in eight tests. 

Her current teammate, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, who is a TuksWomensRugby player is part of the Springbok Women’s team. In ten tests, the Boks flyhalf has scored 96 points (four tries, 26 conversions, seven penalty goals, and one drop goal). If she scores four points against France, she will be the first female Bok to get to 100. 

Rumandi Potgieter is the other Tuks player in the Springbok World Cup squad. 

The Springbok Women’s fixtures: vs France (8 October), vs Fiji (16 October) and vs England (23 October).