South Africa's women play a Test in Fiji for the first time on Saturday, and the two unions have created a trophy to mark it. The Ubuntu-Bula Trophy will be contested at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva at 2pm local time, the first of a two-Test series and only the second meeting between the sides.
Libbie Janse van Rensburg leads South Africa. The 31-year-old fly-half becomes just the 12th player to captain the Springbok Women since their Test debut in 2004, stepping up with regular skipper Babalwa Latsha unavailable. She is the only back retained from the July defeat to the USA Women's Eagles at Loftus Versfeld.
"The main thing is now the main thing, and that is a Test match to win on Saturday," Janse van Rensburg said. "We all know how Fiji play - they are a very physical team, but so are we. They have an unpredictability as well, but they will be right there in our faces, so we need to front up, something we will not shy away from."
The squad flew for two days and absorbed a 10-hour time difference before returning to training on Monday.
"This was by far the longest trip we had for a Test match, but it is all part of the bigger picture," she said. "It is great to be part of history, but this is a new chapter for us."
Several established players stayed home on individual conditioning programmes, which has thrown the door open. Coach Swys de Bruin named a 49-player training group in July with exactly that in mind, and the squad in Suva reflects it: Shiniqwa Lamprecht makes her senior debut in the centres alongside sevens regular Zintle Mpupha, while Aseza Hele and Lindelwa Gwala play for South Africa for the first time since the 2025 World Cup.
"It is a great opportunity for those who are coming into the squad to show that they belong," Janse van Rensburg said. "It is also a good test for our depth, and I honestly believe this will show that we have that in our women's game back home."
Assistant coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt set the expectation for the changed side.
"The personnel are a bit different, but the mindset remains the same and I expect a solid effort from all those selected," Johannes-Haupt said. "We had some good sessions since we arrived here, and we are looking forward the challenge from Fiji."
She singled out two returning forwards. "We all know what a charged-up Blommie can do and I think we are going to see some very physical play from her, while Lindelwa's strong basics will also be important in our set piece, as it's an area where we look to stamp our authority."
On the captaincy switch, Johannes-Haupt said Babalwa Latsha "was not considered for this match as she is in the final days of a recovery plan, but we have full faith in Libbie, who as vice-captain was part of the leadership and decision-making anyway. She has the backing of a strong group of leaders in the squad, while at fly-half, she is used to calling the plays and running the game anyway."
The breakdown is the area South Africa have targeted. They beat the USA convincingly at Ellis Park before losing the second Test 26-19 in Pretoria, with braces for Hope Rogers and Telesi Uhatafe undoing them.
"We did not play well at the breakdown in the second Test and paid the price - it was as simple as that," Janse van Rensburg said. "On Saturday, that will be a key area for us if we want to achieve success. We need to be better if we want to win here."
Fiji coach Willie Walker has named two debutants. Adi Vani Buleki, who scored four tries as the Western Force secured a home Super Rugby Women's play-off for the first time this season, starts on the wing. Buleki won a silver medal with Fiji's sevens side at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and spent a season in the NRLW with Canterbury-Bankstown. Fijian Drua midfielder Ruth Raketekete, her club's Community Champion of the Year, starts at inside centre.
Twenty of the 23 come from the Drua squad that lost the Super Rugby Women's Grand Final to the NSW Waratahs a fortnight ago. Scrum-half Kolora Lomani captains, partnering Varanisese Qoro at half-back, with prop Bitila Tawake as vice-captain.
Lomani said it was an absolute honour to lead the side and that she had never imagined captaining Fiji during her career. She pointed to the experience of Tawake and lock Alfreda Fisher around her as a significant boost, and said the squad is bracing for a physical contest.
Both teams have longer horizons in view. South Africa meet the Black Ferns at Soweto's FNB Stadium in September as part of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry, and the 2028 World Cup in Australia shapes everything in between. The second Test against Fiji follows on 15 August.
