Mary Zulu will captain the SA Women 'A' squad on a historic two-match tour to Brazil later this month, with both fixtures scheduled for Sao Paulo on 24 and 29 August. The squad, which departs South Africa on Thursday, is the first of its kind and marks the inaugural visit by an SA Women 'A' side to Brazil.
The 30-strong squad blends eight capped Springbok Women with a core of players from the recent Junior Springbok Women series against USA age-group counterparts, giving the group an average age of just under 22. Zulu, who is part of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup squad, is joined in the capped contingent by hooker Luchell Hanekom — returning from injury — props Anusckha Ekron and Sino Bhengu, locks Abigail Smit and Zethu Gcaza, scrumhalf Insaaf Levy and wing Shaunique Alexander, all of whom featured in the Bok Women's Rugby Africa Women's Cup campaign earlier this year.
Flanker/centre Courtney Hickson, who impressed in the FNB Varsity Cup with Maties, is also included, as is outside back Isabella Nel — a former provincial schools' hockey player who only took up rugby this year. Nel is the first athlete selected from SA Rugby's cross-code recruitment programme, run through the High-Performance department, which has been targeting elite athletes from other sports. She has been training with the Women's Academy squad and the Junior Springbok Women in preparation.
SA Rugby's General Manager of High-Performance, Dave Wessels, described the tour as a significant step in strengthening talent pathways and building depth at international level, while also opening a new bilateral relationship with Brazil. The squad is coached by Bafana Nhleko, with Bongiwe Nhleko as assistant coach.