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Women tackle rugby

South African women can be divided into two groups: those who love and watch rugby, and those who avoid it at all costs. But women24, with a little bit of loving help from South African Rugby, is going to make the first group so much larger. But before we do that, allow us to introduce you to the women rugby players.

THE SA WOMEN'S RUGBY TEAM

Yes, we have a team, and they need your support. The captain is the beautiful 25-year old Nomsebenzi Tsotsobe from kwaMagxaki in Port Elizabeth (pictured here). Noms, as she's affectionately known, is a former model and currently a personal assistant to the corporate manager of a PE based business.

But her passion is rugby, and it's also all in the family for her. Nomgqibelo, her mother, is a regional co-ordinator for women’s rugby in PE and her dad, Toto, played representative rugby in the seventies and was famous in PE.

Noms got the captaincy after a women’s tournament at Loftus. Teams from Western Cape, Natal, Eastern Cape, and Northern Transvaal took part. As a player she was outstanding, playing number seven (the open-side flank). She captained South Africa in the recent first women's test series, against Wales at home. Although they lost the game, it's the beginning of big things and Noms is geared up to take women's rugby where it's never been before. For updates and more info on the SA women's team, visit sarugby.net.

Although they're referred to as the Springbok women's team, w24.co.za thought it high time that our girl boks get a real South African name. Have you got any ideas? Are you up to the challenge of finding a suitable, catchy name for the South African women's rugby team? Give it a try and if you're one of the top five choices, SA Rugby and w24.co.za will reward you with a wonderful Springbok Supporter's jersey. To enter your chosen name for our women's team, click here.

SA team: 15. Magdalene Pylman, 14. Nomsa Tendekwana, 13. Zolisa Noxeke, 12. Izan Nieuwoudt, 11. Ronwin Kelly, 10. Lebeth October, 9. Naomie Groenewald (Vice Captain), 8. Vuyokazi Mbonda, 7. Nadine Barnard, 6. Nomsebenzi Tsotsobe (Captain), 5. Wendy Adlem, 4. Anne-Marie van Biljon, 3. Cebisa Kula, 2. Nosipho Poswa, 1. Louise Du Pisanie

YOUR RUGBY EDUCATION

Now for the rest of your rugby education, we've got all the info you could ever need on this popular sport. Click to read:

  • The Origins of Rugby

  • How Rugby works

  • The Players and their Positions

  • The Points System

  • The History of the Rugby Ball

  • Why Rugby is unique and different

    Photos: Beeld and SARugby.net

    RUGBY SPECIALS JUST FOR YOU

    Tip 1 Rugby and potjiekos are two South African favourites, and if you have a special potjiekos recipe that you'd like to enter in the food24.co.za SA Rugby Potjiekos recipe competition, click here. Good luck!

    Tip 2 News24.com , together with SA Rugby is offering a few lucky users the opportunity to win Test match tickets for the Tri-Nations matches in Johannesburg, and in Durban, as well as Springbok jerseys and caseloads of Castle Lager. To try your luck click here

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