The Springbok Women achieved a historic result on Sunday: beating Italy for the first time, progressing to their first-ever Women’s Rugby World Cup playoff and moving into the top 10 on the World Rugby rankings for the first time.
The team will now return to Northampton – where they beat Brazil in their pool opener last weekend – on Monday to start their preparations for their group phase game against France, the other unbeaten team in the pool.
Currently, the Springbok Women top Pool D with one more log point than France, but they will head into their final pool game as underdogs against the fourth-ranked women’s team in the world.
That match against France on Sunday, 7 September, with kick off time at 17:45 (SA time), will determine the winner of Pool D.
If France come out on top – as many will predict – the Springbok Women will finish as Pool D runners-up and South Africa’s quarter-final would then be on Saturday, 13 September (14:00 kick off time).
In that scenario, they would play the winner of Pool C, which will be decided by the winner of this Sunday’s battle between New Zealand and Ireland. The Kiwis are favourites to come out on top in that clash.
Alternative scenario for Springbok Women
However, if South Africa can achieve another remarkable feat by beating France in their final pool game, then they would finish at the top of Pool D.
In that case, they would play the runners-up from Pool C (either New Zealand or Ireland), on Sunday, 14 September (14:00).
For now, though, the safe bet would be to pencil in Saturday, 13 September (14:00 kick off time), as the likely time the Springbok Women will play their World Cup quarter-final.
HOW FAR DO YOU THINK SOUTH AFRICA COULD PROGRESS IN THE TOURNAMENT?
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