The Springbok Women face Spain in the WXV Global Series in Seville on Sunday, with captain Babalwa Latsha framing the match as an opportunity to carry momentum into their two remaining Tests against Ireland in Cape Town that will close out the season.
Latsha, who played club rugby for Eibar in Spain earlier in her career, says the squad is in a strong place after a productive week of preparation. "We always respect our opponents, we respect the game and we respect the WXV competition. We have played Spain several times and tomorrow will present a different challenge," she said.
The Bok Women have won their last six meetings with Spain, but Latsha is not treating the match as a formality.
Wing Patience Mokome earns her first start of the tour having come off the bench against Wales in the opener and been omitted from the match-23 against Italy last week. Mokome, who has scored 15 tries in nine tournaments for the Springbok Women's Sevens, returns to Seville having been in Spain five months ago for the HSBC SVNS World Championship leg in Valladolid. Sunday will be her seventh Test cap in fifteens. "I hope to serve the team to the best of my ability. I played against Spain in sevens, but not yet in fifteens, so I am looking forward to that challenge," she said.
Among the notable form lines heading into the match, hooker Lindelwa Gwala has scored in each of the last four meetings with Spain — four tries in four Tests — while prop Yonela Ngxingolo, capped 48 times, is the second most-capped player in Springbok Women history.