#TuksWomensRugby: Lizanne Jacobs wants Tuks to fulfil their potential during the inaugural FNB Varsity Cup Women

Posted on March 31, 2023

To tackle, dummy, and score tries on a rugby field is nothing new to TuksWomensRugby players. 
 
They have been doing so for years and are pretty good at it. The Delta Drone TuksWomensRugby Sevens team has won numerous international tournaments including the African Student and won the inaugural Varsity Sevens. 
 
Last year, there was a stage where a number of the Tuks players had been chosen to play for the Springbok Women’s 15s and 7s. They competed in tournaments such as the Rugby World Cup, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series. On a positive note, the Tuks alumna, Nadine Roos, who was at the peak of every tournament she played in was crowned the Springbok Women's Player of the Year. Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Rumandi Potgieter made their Rugby World Cup debuts in New Zealand.
 
But there can be no resting on their laurels. TuksWomensRugby, under the headship of Lizanne Jacobs, is gearing itself to compete in the first edition of the FNB Varsity Cup Women. 
 
According to Jacobs, it will be an exciting new challenge. She is not one to make bold promises about winning tournaments.
 
"Are we going to win? I honestly don't know. The longer format of the game is new to most of our players. So it could be that we are in a building phase for next year. All I can say is I love 'attractive' rugby. That is what I hope Tuks is going to play. If they do, I will be a happy coach.
 
"My biggest challenge as a coach is to get each player to play to the best of their ability. Part of my motivation is that I only got to fulfil some of my goals as a rugby player. Now, I hope to get others to live their dreams."
 
Jacobs could be considered one of the South African women's rugby trailblazers. She used to be an avid hockey player, but everything changed during a training session in the gym.
 
"I got asked whether I would be interested in playing rugby. I was surprised that women in South Africa were playing rugby. I could not resist taking up a new challenge. I immediately fell in love with the game. I was 27 when I started to play."
 
But things took a nasty turn for Jacobs. She got diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. It is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation and sores in your digestive tract. She had to undergo a complete colectomy-removal of the colon. Jacobs ended up being six months hospital. Quitting rugby was, however, not an option.
 
"I don't give up. In 2011, I slowly started to play rugby again. I played my best rugby from 2012 to 2016 as a 6-flanker for the Bulls. 
 
"In 2012, I got offered a contract to join the Springbok sevens side. Unfortunately, due to work commitments, I had to make a hard decision and decline the offer."
 
TuksWomensRugby will face UJ at home in the semi-final encounter of the Varsity Cup Women on Monday, 3 April. Kickoff: 4:30 pm. 
- Author Wilhelm De Swardt

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