Springbok Women’s Sevens captain Mathrin Simmers heaped praised on her team after they closed out the last of three World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger tournaments, in Krakow, Poland, with their first victory in the trio of events in Krakow, Poland, on Saturday, 12 April, 2025.
Simmers said the 21-12 victory over Argentina in the final and a very impressive 22-10 win over Kenya in the semi-final were just reward as the players “really brought it today”.
“We finally got it right! Third and then second in Cape Town, and now a victory in Krakow – the shows the improvement and determination we had in the squad today. We were not going to be denied again.”
Springbok Women’s Sevens Captain, Mathrin Simmers
Simmers said the growth over the last couple of tournaments helped them to get it over the line on Saturday. “We have learned a lot from previous tournaments and that played an important role in our success today,” she said.
“The standard of play in this Challenger has also improved tremendously from the early ones and this is a highly competitive tournament now where you have to be at your best to do well.”
She feels the quality is such that the four teams who qualified to travel to Los Angeles in May will have a realistic chance to topple the bottom four HSBC SVNS sides, who will compete with them to determine places in the 2026 world series.
Simmers also had a special word for Nadine Roos, who once again excelled, leading her team to the gold medal with a series of amazing performances. “Nadine is such a special player and a team player at that – she simply does not stop, and she refuses to give up,” said Simmers.
“It is very special to have such a player in your team that will never stop fighting for us. It is a huge plus to have her on our team and not have to play against her.”
Roos, Zintle Mpupha and Ayanda Malinga will join the Springbok Women in Spain on Sunday for next weekend’s Test against their hosts in Alicante and for Simmers the silverware will also boost them.
“It is a massive year for our Springbok Women and women’s rugby in general and wins like these just boost the exposure and confidence amongst players in both codes,” she said. “I have no doubt that this win will boost the Springbok Women as well, going to the Rugby World Cup in England.”
Meanwhile, despite Kenya in the Cup Semi-Final, South Africa could not overtake their most accomplished African competitors in World Rugby’s HSBC Sevens Challenger Series standings, who lifted the women’s title in Krakow on the back of their back-to-back championship wins, in the Series’ first two finals in Cape Town, earlier in 2025.
Kenya have also qualified for the HSBC Sevens Qualifier Tournament in Los Angeles starting on 3 May, where the top four Challenger tournament finishers take on the bottom four-rated HSBC Sevens women teams to determine which four of the eight contenders gain admission to the 2025//26 HSBC Sevens global series.
South African Results at the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger Final Tournament in Krakow, Poland, on Saturday, 12 April, 2025
Cup Semi-Final: South Africa 22 (17) — Kenya 10 (0)
South Africa – Tries: Zintle Mpupha, Maria Tshiremba, Ayanda Malinga, Nadine Roos
Conversions: Nadine Roos
Kenya – Tries: Freshia Oduor (2)
Cup Final: South Africa 21 (7) — Argentina 12 (7)
South Africa – Tries: Zintle Mpupha, Nadine Roos, Rights Mkhari
Conversions: Roos (3)
Argentina – Tries: Maria Brigido, Chamorro, Maria Taladrid
Conversions: Sofia Gonzalez
South African Results on Friday, 11 April, 2025
South Africa 29 (14) — Poland 10 (10)
South Africa 45 (21) — Czechia 0
South Africa 22 (5) — Argentina 0
The Springbok Women’s Sevens Squad
Rights Mkhari
Zandile Masuku
Kemisetso Baloyi
Kyla de Vries
Zintle Mpupha
Shiniqwa Lamprecht
Mathrin Simmers (captain)
Vianca Boer
Nadine Roos
Ayanda Malinga
Maria Tshiremba
Patience Mokone
HSBCSevens Challenger Series Pools
A: Belgium, Colombia, Kenya, Thailand
B: Argentina, Czechia, Poland, South Africa
Original Copy: SA Rugby, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: The Springbok Women Sevens beat Argentina to win the final World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger tournament in Krakow, Poland, on Saturday, 12 April, 2025. All Photos: World Rugby
Photo 2 Caption: Ayanda Malinga touching down for a 22-10 win over Kenya in the Cup SF, before South Africa beat Argentina 21-12 to win the Poland Leg of the World Rugby’s HSBC Sevens Challenger
Photo 3 Caption: Kenya’s back-to-back championship wins in World Rugby’s HSBC Sevens Challenger Series’ first two finals in Cape Town won them the tournament title at the third leg.
