Photo of Nomonde Simelane

Women’s club rugby is finally coming to Mzansi

1y By Nomonde Simelane

Living in the shadows of their highly favoured male counterparts, the fight for equity and equality is nothing new for South Africa’s female rugby players. Fortunately, their efforts have finally paid off, as confirmed by the announcement of an upcoming club tournament this October.

When it comes to sports, it is no secret that the world is not where it needs to be in terms of equality, as we see athletes from various sporting codes constantly speaking out and advocating for the same respect and compensation that their male counterparts are easily afforded.

Unfortunately, South African rugby is no different. Despite the men’s dominant success, which has seen them winning more Rugby World Cups than any other nation, the women’s side has continuously struggled to make any noise on the international stage, and that is reflected in the support they received both from the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and fans.

However, after a few structural changes, such as appointing Louis Koen as interim head coach and introducing professional and central contracts, it appears to be a new dawn for the lady Boks, who are determined to make a new name for themselves on the international stage. This was confirmed by their recent performance at the 2025 event, where they made history by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time, affirming that they are headed in the right direction.

In the spirit of continuing to grow the women’s game, SA Rugby has announced plans to bring a brand-new club competition for women. Coined the ‘Betway Women’s Club Championship’, the inaugural tournament is set to take place this October and will see 16 club teams drawn from all 15 provincial unions competing against one another over three days.

“We’re not just building competitions – we’re creating pathways for women to play, dream, and rise, and we are very grateful to Betway for coming on board as title sponsor and showing strong support for the women’s game in South Africa,” said CEO of SA Rugby Rian Oberholzer.

Also see: Jacob Zuma’s MK Party’s mission to halt Madlanga Commission fails

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