Latsha named permanent Springbok Women captain as South Africa host USA at Ellis Park

Babalwa Latsha will lead the Springbok Women as permanent captain for the first time when South Africa host the USA at Ellis Park on Saturday 4 July, with head coach Swys de Bruin handing the experienced tighthead prop the armband on a full-time basis following the international retirement of long-serving skipper Nolusindiso Booi.

The appointment marks a significant moment for Latsha, who earns her 41st Test cap against the Americans — making her South Africa’s most-capped tighthead prop in history. She has captained the side on 15 previous occasions as a stand-in, but Saturday represents her first match as the confirmed, permanent leader.

“Babalwa is a natural leader and one of the best in the world in her position, which made it an easy decision,” de Bruin said. “She has a lot of captaincy experience and often stood in for Nolusindiso in the past, and she did very well.”

Latsha acknowledged the weight of the honour while keeping the focus on the collective. “It is a massive honour and I am very proud to be entrusted with this responsibility,” she said. “It is not about me however, but rather our team and the goals we have set to continue the good work we have done, especially last year when we qualified for the quarter-finals of the World Cup.”

De Bruin has made minimal changes to the squad that reached the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals last year. Wing Alichia Arries and No.8 Logan Welman are the only two players in the starting XV who did not feature during that tournament, both rewarded for strong recent form. In the backline, Jakkie Cilliers shifts to the right wing while Ayanda Malinga moves into outside centre. Up front, Thandile Mazwi is included among a six-forward, two-back replacements bench.

The match represents South Africa’s first home Test against the USA, a detail Latsha was keen to highlight. “It is great playing the USA here at home for the first time. They have been a very consistent team over many years, exactly the type of opponent we want to measure ourselves against,” she said. “We believe we are on an upward curve and they will test that.”

For de Bruin, the contest serves a clear strategic purpose as the Springbok Women build toward the next World Cup cycle, with the USA offering a reliable measure of where the squad currently stands.