The Springbok Women resumed full training in Suva on Monday ahead of Saturday's first-ever Test on Fijian soil, with vice-captain and flyhalf Libbie Janse van Rensburg stressing that the historic nature of the tour will not distract from the primary objective of winning.
South Africa face the Fijiana XV at HFC Bank Stadium in a match that marks the first time the Bok Women have played a Test in Fiji. The squad needed two days of travel and additional recovery time to adjust to a 10-hour time difference before returning to the training paddock.
"We had a day or two off after the long travel, and that was great, but this morning, in that first session, we switched into rugby mode. The main thing is now the main thing, and that is a Test match to win on Saturday," said Janse van Rensburg.
Several experienced regulars remained in South Africa on a conditioning programme, and Janse van Rensburg framed their absence as a genuine opportunity rather than a handicap. "It is a good test for our depth, and I honestly believe this will show that we have that in our women's game back home. For those who will be playing this weekend and are not regulars, this should be a great opportunity to nail down a more permanent spot."
On Saturday, Janse van Rensburg is set to earn her 33rd cap, having accumulated 219 points in the Springbok Women jersey — four tries, 55 conversions, 12 penalty goals and one drop goal — making her the team's all-time leading points scorer.
The breakdown has been identified as the critical battleground after it proved costly in the second Test against the USA in Pretoria last month, a match South Africa lost after winning the opener in Johannesburg. "We did not play well at the breakdown in the second Test and paid the price, it was as simple as that," said Janse van Rensburg. "On Saturday, that will be a key area for us if we want to achieve success."
Janse van Rensburg also contextualised the tour within the broader season, which includes Tests against the Black Ferns and the WXV Global Series, with the 2028 Women's Rugby World Cup in Australia providing the long-range horizon.
The match-23 to face Fiji will be named on Wednesday.