Johannesburg - The Springbok Women’s team is soaking up the vibe of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and can’t wait to get cracking against France in the opening match of the event next week.
“All of us are pretty excited as we have been on this journey for a while now, and to finally reach New Zealand and experience the vibe of the event is incredible,” said Eloise Webb, who played the first of her seven Test matches in the Rugby World Cup qualifiers in 2019.
“It is a great time to be around the Springbok Women team.
“This is what it is all about – not only do we get to play at such an amazing event as the Rugby World Cup, but we also get to do so with top-class teams, who we will be competing against soon.
“That is what every player in this squad wanted — the opportunity to play against the best teams out there and to measure ourselves against them. This is happening soon, so the feeling in the camp is real.”
Webb experienced the hype of a Rugby World Cup earlier this month when she was part of the Springbok Women's Sevens squad that played at RWC Sevens in Cape Town, which was another career highlight for the 26-year-old.
Webb is one of half a dozen players in the squad who were in action in Cape Town, and she feels that experience will help them get past the early tournament nerves as they prepare for France on October 8.
“We experienced that hype and how to remain calm and focused,” she said. “Luckily, we also have the likes of Cindi (Nolusindiso Booi) and Zenay (Jordaan), who played in two tournaments already and they are sharing those experiences with us. I don't think the emotions will be too much, thanks to those experiences we had.”
Webb backs the squad to deliver competitive results: “We have been playing good rugby, we have faith in each other, and we back the plans the coaches have for us.
“I think we have a strong squad that has developed well over the last couple of months. But the most important thing for me, and the rest of the team, is the desire we have to show to the world that we can play this game too. And that we belong on this stage,” she added.
South Africa face France, Fiji and England in Pool C of the tournament. Pool A consists of New Zealand, Australia, Wales and Scotland, and Pool B of Canada, USA, Italy and Japan.
IOL Sport