Cecil Afrika Praises Team Spirit As Bok Women Claim African Title And Dubai Qualification

The Springbok Women’s Sevens celebrated a commanding triumph in Nairobi on Sunday as they retained their Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Cup title, shutting out hosts Kenya in a decisive 22-0 final.

South Africa’s dominant campaign saw them complete the tournament without conceding a single point, closing out the 2025 final with authority and a perfect defensive record.

Coach Cecil Afrika credited his players’ commitment and unity for the team’s unmatched performance, emphasising how their collective hunger shaped the results on the field.

Cecil Afrika Praises Team Culture and Discipline

Reflecting on their five-match run, where they amassed 214 unanswered points, Afrika said the squad’s connection and determination laid the foundation for success.

“The players really deserve the credit, they did put in such hard work and the results were a welcome reward for that,” he said.

“We came here to defend our title, but also to qualify for the Challenger 3 tournament, something we managed to do. So it is mission accomplished.”

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Afrika highlighted the tight-knit atmosphere within the group, adding, “There was a good bond in the squad and the players remained a tight-knit group throughout the weekend. That helped in us executing what we wanted to.”

South Africa surged into the final after overpowering Ghana 48-0 and Madagascar 29-0 earlier in the day. Their victory secured qualification for the eight-team Division Three Challenger competition, which will be contested as a standalone event in Dubai in January.

SA Eyes Depth and Development Ahead of Dubai Sevens

Looking ahead, Afrika confirmed that preparations shift immediately to their next assignment.

“Next up is the international invitational tournament in Dubai in two weeks’ time, as part of the Emirates Dubai Sevens, so the focus will move to that now,” he said.

He noted that the tournament will serve as a platform to build squad depth, “We will name some players in that squad that are still developing, as we need to broaden the base for the Challenger 3 tournament in January, that will also take place in Dubai.”

“I believe we will have good internal competition inside the squad to make it to that big one in Dubai next year.”

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