Springbok Women rugby coach quits days before hosting New Zealand

Johannesburg, South Africa (AP) — Swys de Bruin, the coach of the South Africa Women's rugby team, has resigned just days before the team is set to host New Zealand for the first time. This news was confirmed by South Africa Rugby on Thursday, with the governing body stating they would not provide any further comment in the near future.

De Bruin's sudden departure came as a surprise to many, especially as she had been guiding the team through some significant victories. She remained in Stellenbosch during both of the women's rugby team's recent tours, working with the extended squad to prepare for their upcoming matches.

The resignation stemmed from a disagreement over the team not receiving win bonuses for their successful defense of the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Kenya in May and their tour of Fiji last month. De Bruin was expected to remain with the team until the 2029 Women's World Cup in Australia.

She took charge of the team in August 2024, leading them to their first World Cup quarterfinals in September 2024, where they defeated Italy for the first time in the pool stage. Their match against New Zealand will be the curtain-raiser to the men’s test match at FNB Stadium.