Patience Mokone set to shine in Springbok debut at Rugby Africa Women’s Cup

The odds on Springbok winger Patience Mokone enjoying another try-scoring international debut are pretty high for the flyer who can’t seem to keep away from the opposition tryline, no matter the format.

She did it on her Springbok Women’s Sevens debut as South Africa beat Argentina in the final of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger tournament in Poland. She also featured in the play-off tournament in Los Angeles that ended in heartbreak for SA in the HSBC SVNS Play-off tournament.

Now, the 22-year-old Bulls Daisies wing has the chance to announce herself to the Test arena as part of the Springbok squad that will defend their Rugby Africa Women’s Cup title in Madagascar.

The Springbok Women face Uganda in the first of three Rugby Africa Women’s Cup matches in Antananarivo on Saturday next week. Kenya and the hosts are the other teams competing.

Mokone, the leading try-scorer in the Women’s Premier Division this year, with 13 tries for the  Daises, is blessed with blistering pace, offload ability, a wicked sidestep, strength, and reads the game well.

She is a nightmare for any defender, as South Africa’s continental rivals could soon discover should coach Swys de Bruin choose to unleash her in Madagascar.

“Yes, it has been a good couple of months for me,” Mokone said, beaming, as the squad went through their paces in Johannesburg, from where they will fly out to Madagascar on Wednesday.

“I was a bit surprised about the sevens call-up, to be honest, but not overawed, as I knew that I was well-prepared for any eventual call-up. It was nice to play in the green and gold and I am proud of how we played in Krakow and even Los Angeles, although the results did not go our way.

“It certainly made me want more, so now that I am in line to possibly make my debut for the fifteens team is another huge opportunity.”

Mokone represented the Junior Springbok Women in 2022, and that experience just fostered her belief that she will make it into the senior national team: “I was drafted into the Bulls Daisies set-up in 2023 and that has laid a good foundation. I was playing and training with internationals like Zintle Mpupha and Ayanda Malinga and they helped me a lot.

“The last two seasons with the Daisies made me realise that I could play with these international players, but I was in no rush even as some of my 2022 teammates were called up into the senior team, just improving myself as a player at every opportunity.”

Bulls Daisies teammate Anathi Xolo will lead the team in Madagascar. Mokone, who is proud to represent Soshanguve, is hard to miss on the rugby field with her colourful hair extensions her trademark. She will travel to Madagascar with bright orange braids.

“I love the blue extensions when I play for the Daisies and even white ones, but I also don’t mind bright colours, as it makes me feel energetic,” she said.

Her rapid rise comes at a vital juncture in Springbok Women’s rugby, with the World Cup in England just over 80 days away. Should she perform the way she has been in recent seasons, it would not be a shock to see Mokone included in the squad for the showpiece.