Griquas off to a Winning Start at Under-20 Women’s Rugby Week

The Under-20 Women’s Rugby Week kicked off on Monday, 6 October 2025, at Queens High School in Johannesburg, with all provinces taking part in the competition.

The Griquas Women’s Rugby Team from Kimberley in the Northern Cape is among the teams competing in this long-standing tournament, which has been running for more than nine years.

Despite early pressure from the Southern Western Districts (SWD), who scored the first try just seven seconds into the match, the Griquas responded strongly.

They equalised with their own try soon after, and later in the second half added two more
tries to secure a well-deserved victory.

Griquas captain Abigail Brand said she remained confident in her team even after conceding the early try.
“After SWD scored the opening try, I knew my team well enough to believe it would be their last. Honestly, I was confident we would pull through and come back even stronger. I could never have achieved this historic moment without my teammates,” she said.

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Brand added that nerves played a role early in the match, but composure and teamwork made the difference.
“It was just a bump in the road, the team needed to settle in and focus. Our victory came from how we lifted each other up after mistakes. We had a plan, a structure, and a shared purpose. Everyone was determined to make it work, and that unity pushed us to dig deeper, give our best, and move forward together.”

Head coach Claudia Francke praised the players for their determination and adaptability under pressure.
“I’m incredibly proud of the team’s performance, especially their fighting spirit and ‘never give up’ attitude,” she said. “Although the game was scrappy at times, there were many positives. The players performed well in the lineouts and dominated several scrums, particularly in the second half. It was inspiring to see them start to gel and play as a unit.”

Francke explained that tactical changes during the match helped the team regain control.
“After SWD’s early try, we knew we had to settle quickly and stay composed. We focused on structure and discipline – both in defence and attack and slowed the game down to regain control. Once we built momentum, we kept possession, used our forwards to dominate the set pieces, and allowed our backline to finish strong,” she said.

Reflecting on the win, Francke highlighted the team’s resilience and defensive effort.

“The girls showed incredible heart, especially when SWD was camped in our 22. Their defence in those moments showed real character,” she noted. “While I’m pleased with the performance, we’ll continue working on improving ball handling, decision-making under pressure, and maintaining defensive consistency. We also need quicker support at the breakdown to create more attacking opportunities.”

The Griquas’ 15–10 win over SWD marked their first triumph of the tournament. They are set to face the Limpopo Bulls in their second match on Wednesday, 8 October 2025, at 10:50, as they aim to build on their strong start.