However, despite the disappointing result, co-head coaches Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September believe the team made significant strides throughout the year, with valuable lessons, improved squad depth and important victories providing plenty of positives.
Ireland proved clinical in the closing stages, scoring three tries in the final quarter to secure their second consecutive victory over South Africa in the WXV Global Series, following their 40-27 win the previous weekend.
Johannes-Haupt acknowledged Ireland’s quality but felt the Springbok Women had put themselves in a strong position to challenge for victory before allowing the game to slip away.
“They really showed their class in the last 10 minutes, and their ability to score when they were in our 22-metre area was top drawer and something we need to get to as well,” she said.
The Bok Women had led 17-14 with 20 minutes remaining, but a yellow card and defensive lapses out wide proved costly.
“We had our moments in the match and leading 17-14 with the last 20 minutes to play was where we wanted to be. But a yellow card and some sloppy defence out wide did not help our cause today.
“Overall, we showed good growth and learnings during the year, but we let ourselves down in the final minutes here,” Johannes-Haupt added.
She also highlighted the importance of building squad depth, particularly with the next Rugby World Cup firmly in the team’s sights. Although injuries disrupted their combinations, they created opportunities for younger players to gain valuable international experience.
September echoed his co-coach’s sentiments, pointing to improvements in the team’s performance compared to their previous encounter with Ireland. However, he admitted that South Africa still has work to do when it comes to matching the clinical execution of the world’s top-ranked teams.
“We certainly had a hard look at ourselves and we managed to streamline mistakes from last week, but then let it slip in the final phases of the match,” he said.
He added that Ireland’s ability to capitalise on opportunities inside the red zone highlighted an important area for improvement.
For September, the experience of playing against a top-five nation provides another important building block in the team’s development.
“We made good strides and the next phase of our development will be to beat teams like Ireland. Our trajectory certainly points towards that,” he said.
Meanwhile, acting captain Aseza Solontsi, who stepped into the leadership role following Babalwa Latsha’s injury, praised the team’s leadership group for helping her navigate the responsibility. Solontsi was also among South Africa’s three try-scorers on the day.
She believes the team must use the break as an opportunity to sharpen their skills and build on the progress made throughout the season.
“We saw today we can compete against the best, but the work is far from done,” said Solontsi.
She encouraged her teammates to remain focused during the off-season, emphasising that the squad must return stronger and better prepared for the challenges ahead.
As the Springbok Women turn their attention to the next chapter, the disappointment of the Ireland defeat will serve as another learning experience. With valuable game time for emerging players, greater squad depth and a clearer understanding of what is required to compete with the world’s best, the team will be determined to build on the progress made and take the next step in their journey.