Newbie women’s rugby player Yonda Nokwe has made remarkable progress to earn selection to the South Africa A team for a mini-series against their Brazilian counterparts starting in Sao Paulo this week.
The 20-year-old lock, who grew up in Mdantsane in East London and only took to the sport last year, is a first-year public management student at Mandela University.
Her inclusion brings her one step closer to her dream of earning full Springbok colours.
“To be honest, my selection for the SA A side was a bit of a shock, the Madibaz player said.
“I don’t have that much experience. I’m here now and very grateful for that.”
She attributes her rapid rise through the ranks to a combination of hard work and talent.
Unlike many of her peers, her rugby journey began at a relatively late stage. However, she quickly discovered a passion for the sport and the possibilities it offered.
“Earning the green-and-gold is something I have been aiming for,” she said.
Madibaz rugby player Yonda Nokwe goes on a run for Border during the national U20 Women’s Week earlier this year. Photo: Supplied
Her first taste of representative rugby came this year when she played for Border at the U20 Women’s Week.
She joined the Gqeberha university this year to pursue her academic dreams and joined the rugby programme a mere two weeks before the University Sports South Africa tournament took place in the city in July.
“Since then I have become part of the family,” she said.
Nokwe, not related to former Springbok wing Jongi Nokwe, believes her instant success stems from three key ingredients: hard work, dominance on the field and the support of those around her.
While she develops her game, she already knows what aspect pleases her most.
“Scoring tries,” she laughed.
The two teams will lock horns in two matches, both in the country’s largest city, on August 24 and 30.
Nokwe expects the South Americans to provide a stern challenge, particularly given their exposure to top-level competition at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England last year.
“They won’t be coming to play, [they will want] to dominate,” she said.
She views this accolade as an important pathway to her long-term ambitions.
“Definitely,” she confirmed.
Her immediate objective is to represent her country with pride and her advice to others is to embrace every opportunity “because the light of your future might be there”.