For Nadine Roos, Sunday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup curtain-raiser at Franklin’s Gardens is more than just a debut Test against Brazil. Roos sees it as a chance to flip the script against old foes who’ve had the Springbok Women’s number on the sevens circuit.
Roos has crossed paths with the South Americans four times in the HSBC SVNS Series alongside Ayanda Malinga, Eloise Webb, Zintle Mpupha, and Sizophila Solontsi. Brazil won three of those clashes, leaving Roos with memories of spectacular solo tries but also the sting of narrow defeats.
This time, I definitely believe we can give it back to them. Those matches were very close with one score or try that made the difference. It was only in one of those defeats where we were outplayed. Rugby remains rugby, and we want to win when we play for our country, especially at a Rugby World Cup.
If the Boks are to clip Brazil’s wings, Roos knows they’ll need more than bravado. The Brazilians arrive with nearly 80% of their sevens regulars in the squad with lightning-quick runners who thrive in space.
Those speedsters are really fast, and their playmakers know how to get them the ball in space. If we allow that on Sunday, we will be in trouble. I told my teammates that we need to kill their time and space on the ball. If we get shoulders on bodies and take the space away, they will not be as effective.
Roos has now traded her free-ranging sevens licence for the more structured demands of the fifteen's scrumhalf role. But even in a tighter jersey, she still backs her instinct for the spectacular.
I would love scoring against them in fifteens as well. I scored some good tries against them in sevens, and it will be nice to repeat that on Sunday. Having said that, some of those sevens tries came thanks to my teammates as well, and I would need their help again. It will have to be a team effort from us.
That team effort will be tested in the Bok Women’s first-ever clash with Brazil in the 15s format. A collision of styles that promises more than just speed and space, but also grit, grind, and the kind of physicality that tilts contests.
The squad will sharpen their edges further with a joint training session against Japan on Wednesday before Friday’s announcement of the matchday 23. For now, all 32 players are in the selection mix. And Roos, eyes glinting with intent, is already plotting a way to turn near-misses into a World Cup statement.
