SA select women to play in rugby sevens warm-up at NMMU

The South African Women's Sevens elite squad will meet teams from Border and Eastern Province in a warm-up tournament at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University on Saturday.

This would form part of their preparation for the Hong Kong Women's Rugby Sevens Invitational on March 28.

Coach Renfred Dazel said the matches would determine how much progress the squad has made since the Dubai International Invitational last November.

"There are a few things we would like to achieve on Saturday, the most important of which is to gain clarity on player combinations and to measure the progress we have made in the various areas of our game," Dazel said in a statement.

"All 16 players in the elite squad will receive the opportunity to prove their worth on Saturday.

Ultimately I would like to be in a position to select a starting line-up for the opening Hong Kong match at the conclusion of these games.

"Another important objective will be to get an idea of the quality of our rugby, as there are only three weeks remaining before the Hong Kong Invitational."

The Hong Kong tournament will be followed by an African tournament hosted in Kenya in April and the IRB Women's World Sevens Series leg in Amsterdam in May.

The players will then focus their efforts on playing for places in the 26-member squad for the 15-a-side IRB Women's Rugby World Cup in Paris from August 1 to 17.

SA Select Women's squad: Nicolene Barendse, Siviwe Basweni, Lorinda Brown, Phumeza Gadu, Rachelle Geldenhuys, Nosiphiwo Goda, Veroeshka Grain, Zenay Jordaan, Jacqueline Kriel, Nomaphelo Mayongo, Nomsa Mokwai, Marithy Pienaar, Fundiswa Plaatjie, Mathrin Simmers, Voyulwethu Vazi. - Sapa