With Swys de Bruin sidelined by a dispute with SA Rugby ahead of Saturday's Test against the Black Ferns at FNB Stadium, the national body has turned to Melusi Mthethwa to assist the Springbok Women in their preparations.
The 40-year-old comes in fresh from back-to-back Junior World Championship titles with the Junior Springboks, where he serves as attack and backline coach under head coach Kevin Foote. South Africa extended their winning streak at the Under-20 Championship to 11 matches across the 2025 and 2026 editions, with Mthethwa playing a key role in the side's attacking blueprint.
The appointment is not permanent — Mthethwa remains part of Foote's Junior Bok setup — but his availability and familiarity with high-stakes preparation made him a natural fit for the role. It also marks the second time he has stepped in for De Bruin: he replaced the former Springbok assistant at Shimlas in 2023 following De Bruin's departure from the University of the Free State after that year's Varsity Cup.
Mthethwa's coaching career has taken him from the Puk Rugby Institute and the Leopards through the Free State system — coaching the Cheetahs' age-group and senior sides — to stints as head coach of CUT's Varsity Cup team and attack coach at Griquas before returning to Bloemfontein with Shimlas.
Saturday's fixture is the first Test between South Africa and New Zealand on home soil, played as a curtain raiser to the third Greatest Rivalry match at FNB Stadium.