Experienced prop Babalwa Latsha will captain DHL Western Province Women in their opening Women’s Premier Division match against Boland Women at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

The reigning national champions will get their campaign underway in a match that will be played as a curtain-raiser to the PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA encounter between the DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls and televised live on SuperSport from Cape Town Stadium at 15h00 on Saturday.

Latsha leads a strong DHL Western Province team which features six Springbok Women in the starting line-up and two more among the replacements.

The team will be aiming to make it a fourth-straight national title this season, after winning in 2017, 2018 and 2019 before the tournament was called off last year due to COVID-19.

Wing Alichia Arries and replacement back Donelle Snyders are both products of the Western Province Women’s youth structures, having both played for the DHL Western Province U16 and U18 teams.

Head Coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt said that the players cannot wait to get out there on Saturday.

“Our preparations have gone well and everone is very excited to be back on the field after more than a year without playing, so we are feeling very positive.

“The squad has put in a lot of hard work over the last few months and we are feeling confident ahead of the new season.

“This is our first opportunity to play in a match that is televised live, so this is a great opportunity to market women;s rugby and we are all looking forward to it,” she said.

DHL Western Province Women: 15 Vuyolwethu Maqholo, 14 Alichia Arries, 13 Veroeshka Grain, 12 Megan Kannemeyer, 11 Shanique Hess, 10 Kirsten Conrad, 9 Felicia Jacobs, 8 Charmaine Kayser, 7 Thandile Mazwi, 6 Lihle Mzimkhulu, 5 Sinazo Mcatshulwa, 4 Azisa Mkiva, 3 Babalwa Latsha, 2 Thandi Xwetu, 1 Anelisa Nzuzu.
Replacements: 16 Roseline Botes, 17 Bubele Caku-Caku, 18 Nomkhitha Chuba, 19 Yonela Pokolo, 20 Benele Makwezela, 21 Donelle Snyders, 22 Simamkele Namba, 23 Selledean Pietersen.