With the Springbok Women heading back to Cardiff Arms Park on Friday, Babalwa Latsha, Lindelwa Gwala, Aseza Hele and Felicia Jacobs — all of whom were on the field for that 19-5 loss in 2018 — reflect on how far the squad has come. The piece tracks the shift in standings (South Africa now ranked 10th, Wales 13th) and mood, with Gwala pointing to game management and experience as the key gains since those early Tests, and Hele flagging a physical, forward-dominated contest as the likely battleground. The veterans' verdict is consistent: the 2018 and 2021 defeats were developmental growing pains — Friday is something else entirely.