Aseza Hele has described her return to Test rugby as equal in feeling to her international debut, after the Springbok Women dismantled Fiji 55-12 in Suva on Saturday in the first of two Tests on the Pacific island.
The loose forward, winning her 33rd cap, had been sidelined since the Women's Rugby World Cup in England nearly a year ago following hand surgery. She wasted little time reminding selectors of her value, racking up 16 ball carries and 127 metres as South Africa's physicality proved too much for the Fijian defence throughout.
"You don't know how much you will miss that jersey until it happens," Hele said from the squad's base in Nadi. "The mental side of the rehab is always the toughest. For me it is 90% mental, 10% physical."
She admitted to pre-match nerves but said they dissipated quickly once the game was under way. "Once the match started, I felt really comfortable and I could just focus on doing my job. It felt great to get back in the physical part of the game and I felt like I was myself again."
The victory also carried personal closure. The only previous meeting between the sides ended in a late Fijian try at the 2022 Women's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand that eliminated South Africa. "That defeat in New Zealand was still hurting," Hele said. "With this performance, we buried that for good."
The second Test takes place at Churchill Park in Lautoka on Saturday, with kick-off at 13h00 Fiji time (03h00 SA time). Hele is under no illusions about the task ahead. "We know they will come back stronger. But we respond well to pressure and we gained confidence from our own performances."