The St George’s RFC women’s team has made an extraordinary impact in its debut season, reaching the quarter-finals of the challenging Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) Women’s Super League A.
This is the first time in the club’s 84-year history that they have fielded a senior women’s team, an achievement celebrated by players and management alike.
Annelisa Simons, an executive committee member and the team’s coach and coordinator, called it “an achievement for the first year of competing in the Super League A”.
She noted that the team “rose above our challenges and the commitment from the team was extraordinary”. The quarter-finals saw St George’s face off against formidable opponents, Van der Stel-Evergreens, a team they had lost to earlier in the season. Despite a 17-30 defeat, the team showed significant improvement.
“It was a really proud moment for me, the club and the community,” Simons said. “We can only continue to rise above our achievements in 2026.”
Head coach Zigcine Dandala said it was an immensely proud moment for the entire team. “This season has been a journey of resilience, determination and hard work. The women displayed true grit and heart. We made ‘herstory’ at the club this year, and that’s something we’ll always celebrate.”
The team’s success was built on overcoming significant challenges, including logistical issues and a lack of initial unity among players from different areas. “We have girls from different areas and they came with the same transport and knew one another from their previous clubs,” Dandala said.
“However, over time and through getting to know one another, socialising and playing together, the team built a strong bond. They all had a common goal, to make an impact in the league and win the league.”
Lemenecia Markus, who captained the team in the quarter-final, agreed, highlighting the team’s ability to “gel as a unit and show it in our performances on the pitch”. She praised the team’s creativity and their fearlessness in trying new things on the field.
The team’s impressive season record included wins against UCT (41-0), Stellenbosch (24-10), Eerste River (47-0), Milnerton (35-6), and UWC (15-12), among others.
Several players have already received individual recognition for their outstan-
ding performances. Monrica van der Horst was selected for the Western Province under-16 team, while Doney Filies earned a spot on the WP under-20 team. Additionally, Markus and Nikiesha Delport were both chosen to join The Rugby Institute for International Rugby Athletes, a prestigious development programme in the United Kingdom.
Looking ahead, the team’s goals are clear. Dandala said the focus will be on “retention and recruitment” to build depth and versatility. The team also aims to field a full junior team next year.
The players are equally determined. Their goal is to “take each game as it comes” and “improve on previous performances”, Markus said. “We are capable of making it to the finals next year.”
Cornelia Swart, who captained the side for most of the season but was sidelined with an injury, added: “We need to stay united, work hard, and improve together. We’ve proven we can compete, but there’s still a lot to learn and now it’s about pushing ourselves to reach new heights.”
The team is now preparing for the upcoming Score WP Club Rugby 7s tourney.
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