Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby, has recently praised Swys de Bruin for his substantial contributions to the Springbok Women’s team, following his resignation after a two-year stint as head coach. De Bruin, who initially joined SA Rugby's High-Performance Department in 2024, quickly ascended to lead the women’s team, guiding them to unprecedented successes.
Under De Bruin’s leadership, the Bok Women notched their best-ever performance at the Women’s World Cup in 2025 by making it to the quarter-finals before bowing out to the formidable Black Ferns. During his tenure, the team also cracked the top 10 in the World Rugby rankings for the first time.
The Bok Women recorded notable wins against higher-ranked teams including Japan, Italy, and the USA, achieving a commendable record of 14 wins in 21 matches. These victories included matches against the Barbarians Women and the Black Ferns XV, both held in Cape Town.
President Alexander highlighted how De Bruin’s efforts have increased the visibility and profile of women's rugby in South Africa. “Swys quickly endeared himself to fans and supporters of the women's game and that connection contributed to the growing support behind the Springbok Women. It also attracted greater corporate backing,” he remarked.
“Our team developed a unique style of play and an unpredictability that captured massive attention. Who will forget the 14‑player lineout or setting up a maul from a scrum in that quarter‑final against the Black Ferns.”
Alexander also praised De Bruin for his original role as a mentor within the High-Performance department. “It was clear that he has the ability to convey his knowledge to players and coaches alike. That experience contributed meaningfully to the development of our current coaching group,” Alexander added.
In a personal tribute, Alexander acknowledged De Bruin's significant influence on South African rugby, wishing him well in his future ventures. “Swys is one of the leading coaches in our country and we wish him well for the future. We respect his decision to move forward in his career and thank him sincerely for his contribution to the growth of women’s rugby.”
SA Rugby announced that Franzel September and Laurian Johannes-Haupt, who served as assistants under De Bruin, will act as co-head coaches for the remainder of the season. The Bok Women are gearing up for the upcoming tests against Wales, Italy, Spain, and Ireland in the WXV Global Series, with plans to bolster their coaching staff as needed.
