RWC2025 | South Africa head coach Swys de Bruin, captain Nolusindiso Booi and Libbie Janse van Rensburg speak after their dramatic 29-24 win in Pool D
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South Africa head coach Swys de Bruin, captain Nolusindiso Booi and Mastercard Player of the Match Libbie Janse van Rensburg speak after their dramatic 29-24 win in Pool D over Italy at York Community Stadium on Sunday.
Swys de Bruin, head coach
On what he was most pleased to see:
"This is unreal. It is so emotional. We have never made the quarters, we have never beaten Italy. To score five tries in a game like this, I am so proud of my management, the doctors, everyone. I am so proud I can be part of it and it's just amazing."
On what it means to the nation:
"The nation is so much behind these girls. It is in our blood. We just love it. We try to copy our men's teams - the sevens, the under-20s. We thought we must catch up now. Our girls were absolutely fantastic."
On playing France in Brighton next weekend:
"We're playing France? I'm just joking! It's such a massive game that's ahead of us but if I think of it now, we won't make it. We will celebrate tonight, tomorrow and Tuesday back to Operation France."
Nolusindiso Booi, captain
On being all but certain of reaching the quarter-finals:
"The only thing I can say is I am so excited and so happy with the performance my team put out there. I am also grateful for all the support from the South Africans who are here and who are at home, being our plus-one."
On the match:
"The opposition gave us a tough game. We gave everything that we had as a team. We played as one and we gave everything. We made sure that our set pieces were working for us."
Libbie Janse van Rensburg, Mastercard Player of the Match
"This is absolutely amazing. We had a job, we said we were going to be direct - this is what South Africa is about! People feel us when we are on the field and we appreciate all the support."
On what the win means:
"This is massive. We spoke about changing history in South Africa for women's rugby and today we did that. Every single lady who is in the squad is part of making history today and I think we really made South Africa proud today."
