De Bruin departs as Springbok Women co-head coaches step up for WXV campaign

SA Rugby has officially confirmed the departure of Swys de Bruin as Springbok Women head coach, with assistants Franzel September and Laurian Johannes-Haupt taking over as co-head coaches for the remainder of the season.

De Bruin stepped down at the end of August 2026, having joined SA Rugby's High-Performance Department in August 2024 before transitioning into the head coaching role. SA Rugby President Mark Alexander used the announcement to pay tribute to De Bruin's impact on both the women's programme and SA Rugby's broader coaching structures.

The headline achievement of De Bruin's tenure was guiding the Springbok Women to the quarterfinals of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in England — their best-ever result at the tournament — before losing to the Black Ferns. The team also broke into the World Rugby top 10 for the first time under his watch. Across 21 matches, the Springbok Women won 14, including victories over Japan, Italy and the USA — all ranked above South Africa at the time — as well as the Barbarians Women and a Black Ferns XV in Cape Town.

Alexander highlighted the tactical creativity De Bruin brought to the programme, singling out moments from the quarterfinal that caught global attention. "Our team developed a unique style of play and an unpredictability that captured massive attention. Who will forget the 14-player line-out or setting up a maul from a scrum in that quarterfinal against the Black Ferns," he said.

Alexander also credited De Bruin with growing the commercial and public profile of the women's game. "Swys quickly endeared himself to fans and supporters of the women's game, and that connection contributed to the growing support behind the Springbok Women. It also attracted greater corporate backing."

Beyond the on-field results, De Bruin's influence extended to his original High-Performance remit as a mentor to coaches within SA Rugby's structures. Alexander noted that the coaching philosophies he introduced will continue through the current group. "That experience contributed meaningfully to the development of our current coaching group, who will continue to apply many of the principles and fundamentals introduced by Swys."

September and Johannes-Haupt now take charge as the Springbok Women prepare for WXV Global Series Tests against Wales, Italy, Spain and Ireland. SA Rugby confirmed additional coaching support will be brought in as required.