Swys de Bruin steps down as Springbok Women’s coach

Swys de Bruin has quit as Springbok Women’s head coach, SA Rugby confirmed on Thursday.

This comes as the Bok Women prepare for Saturday’s Test against New Zealand’s Black Ferns at FNB Stadium. The game will serve as a curtain raiser for the Springboks v All Blacks Greatest Rivalry encounter.

In a statement, SA Rugby said Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September, who led the team to success in Kenya and Fiji earlier this year, will continue to act as co-head coaches of the team.

“No further comment will be made in the short-term to allow the team to focus on their match with New Zealand’s Black Ferns,” SA Rugby said in the statement.

Prop Babalwa Latsha will lead the Springboks against the Black Ferns.

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Johannes-Haupt said the coaching staff had some good options when they named the final group.

“We have managed to build some extra depth since that match earlier this season when we played in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup and the two series against the USA Eagles Women and Fijiana,” said Johannes-Haupt.

“We believe this is the right squad for this game, and we go to FNB Stadium with a very specific game plan in mind.

“We have certain characteristics as Springbok Women and that include being very physical in our first phase, so there is no reason to move away from that. We are aware of what the Black Ferns will bring, but selected this group because we want to play a certain way, not in reaction to who might be in their team.”

Saturday’s match will kick off at 13:30.

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