Springbok Women ready for 'free hit' against Black Ferns in Rugby World Cup quarter-final

Nothing lights up a batter’s eyes more in white-ball cricket than a no-ball.

They know what’s coming next — a free hit, a golden opportunity to swing freely with no risk of being dismissed. It’s a rare moment of pressure-free aggression.

The Springbok Women find themselves in a similar position ahead of their Rugby World Cup quarter-final clash against the mighty New Zealand Black Ferns on Saturday (2pm kick-off at Sandy Park). This match feels like a “free-hit” for the South African side — a shot at something big, with nothing to lose.

The Bok Women have already achieved their main objective at the tournament: reaching the quarter-finals of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England. That milestone alone has made their campaign a successful one. Now, with no external pressure or expectations, they can head into this clash with freedom and purpose.

They face a daunting challenge, of course. The Black Ferns, ranked third in the world and six-time world champions, are the overwhelming favourites. South Africa, who entered the tournament ranked 12th and have since climbed to 10th, are expected to fall short. But the underdog tag suits them just fine.

“The lack of pressure actually makes the job easier for the players — they can focus fully on the task at hand,” said assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt.

“We don’t have to worry about outside noise; we can just go out and play our game, stick to our processes. We’ve prepared well — we’re certainly not just going to roll over because we’re playing against a team with six world titles.”

Earlier in the tournament, the Bok Women pulled off a historic first-ever win over Italy, securing their place in the knockouts. The Black Ferns, meanwhile, cruised through their pool, which included a dominant win over tournament hopefuls Ireland. But knockout rugby is a different beast — and South Africa are embracing the spotlight.

The teams do have recent history. The Springbok Women faced a second-string Black Ferns side in Cape Town ahead of the tournament and managed a convincing win in the second match. They held their own in the collisions and impressed with their set-piece dominance — strengths they’ll look to lean on heavily again this weekend.

“Our set-piece has been really solid in recent matches — against Canada, Italy, and the Black Ferns XV — and that’s a great foundation when you’re facing the third-ranked team in the world,” said Johannes-Haupt.

“We pride ourselves on our set-piece, it’s no secret, and we’ll look to drag New Zealand into an arm wrestle for as long as possible. If we can force them to play in our strong areas, we’ll have a real shot.

“Of course, they’ll want to spread it wide and unleash their skilful backs, who’ve scored some excellent tries in this tournament. It’s going to be a real clash of styles.”

And that’s the beauty of a “free-hit” — the opportunity to swing hard, aim high, and maybe, just maybe, land a knockout blow on one of the tournament favourites.