Despite the setback, head coach Cecil Afrika believes the team has shown significant growth and can return to the top tier of international sevens rugby.
“We started really well against France and had opportunities to win that match,” said Afrika. “As the tournament progressed, we struggled to maintain that intensity, which resulted in defeats against Argentina and Brazil.”
Afrika pointed to a lack of depth and experience as key factors but praised the progress made by the squad. He noted that injuries earlier in the season disrupted preparations, while the team’s improvement was evident when given more time together.
“We have seen real growth over the last two tournaments,” he said. “The players worked incredibly hard, and they now understand that they are not far from competing consistently at this level.”
Looking ahead, Afrika would like to see a larger training squad and more playing opportunities as South Africa prepares for the next SVNS 2 qualification cycle and the road to Olympic Games qualification.
“We have time to plan and build. Some experienced players will return from injury, which will help us introduce new talent while maintaining a strong foundation. We will be back,” he said.
Captain Zintle Mpupha echoed her coach’s sentiments, saying the team’s failure to qualify was not due to a lack of effort.
“This system demands hard work, and the squad has come a long way,” said Mpupha. “From qualifying through SVNS 3 and SVNS 2 to becoming highly competitive, especially in Spain, there is a lot to be proud of. Inexperience, rather than effort, cost us at crucial moments.”
In their final match, South Africa suffered a 24-17 defeat to Brazil in the 11th-place play-off. Handling errors proved costly as Brazil raced into a 19-0 halftime lead, inspired by standout performer Thalia Costa.
The Springbok Women fought back strongly in the second half. Maria Tshiremba crossed for a try before Ayanda Malinga added another following a clever break by Mpupha, reducing the deficit to seven points. Brazil responded with a fourth try, but Tshiremba grabbed her second score of the match to end the tournament on a positive note.
While the result was disappointing, the team leaves Bordeaux encouraged by its progress and determined to return stronger in the next qualification cycle.