“Women’s rugby in South Africa is not as competitive as men’s rugby, and is also far less visible compared to other disciplines. It will be my personal commitment to form a respectable women’s National rugby team”. Athletes participating in the 2019 Universiade do not only dream of medals, podiums or the Tokyo 2020 Olympics: they also strive to build a sport future for both their peers and the generations to come. Janse Van Rensburg has no doubts: born in 1994, student of Sports Sciences at the University of Pretoria, she is the captain of the South African Women’s rugby sevens team, winner of the match against Argentina that took place on July 6th, at the former NATO base in Bagnoli, home to the rugby village and the group stage. “At first this was a diffucult match, but in the end we managed to succeed”, says Van Rensburg, who is very proud of her teammates and totally in love with Naples. “This is my first Universiade: I have already been in Italy, back when I played a match in Rome, but this city is something else entirely. Walking around the streets of Naples and its buildings, being able to view the ocean from the Costa cruise ship – well, the sea actually, but I like comparing the Gulf of Naples to the South African scenery, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans “meet” at the Cape of Good Hope -, seeing Capri and the other islands: everything is extraordinary. I will make sure to come back in the future”, says the young Afrikaans athlete.
Elizabeth Janse Van Rensburg, captain of the South African Women’s Rugby Sevens team
Post Author: Ex Nato
