Latest news with #AsezaHele
IOL News
3 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Springbok Women run Black Ferns XV close in narrow defeat at Athlone Stadium
Powerful No 8 Aseza Hele scored two tries for the Springbok Women against the Black Ferns XV on Saturday. Image: Henk Kuger/Independent Newspapers The Springbok Women suffered a narrow 34-26 loss against the Blacks Ferns XV in the first of two international friendlies at a windy Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday evening. The half-time score was 20-15. There was a strong early scrum by the Bok Women, who tried to show their power, but the Black Ferns spread the ball wide quickly off their feed and fullback Mererangi Paul scored in the right corner with the Boks short of defensive numbers in the second minute. Lock Anathi Qolo came close to a quick reply for SA, but had no support with the tryline beckoning. The Bok scrum continued to put the squeeze on their opponents and they eventually won a penalty after the 10th minute. Handling errors in broken play proved costly for the South African women, however. In fact, both teams struggled in the blustery conditions. The Bok tight five shoved the Black Ferns off the ball in a scrum and won a penalty in the following passage of play that they put into touch close to the Black Ferns try line. The Springbok Women get their reward 🙌 Cilliers gets the conversion to reduce the margin to eight 🎯 📺 Stream #RSAvNZL on DStv: — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 26, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Bok No 8 Aseza Hele charged over the line after the Black Ferns struggled to cope with a rolling maul from the lineout for the Bok Women's first points of the match. Wing Jakkie Cillers added the two points with the conversion and the Bok Women were 7-5 in front A chip and chase by the Black Ferns left the Bok defence at sixes and sevens and Vaina Ubisi was shown yellow for a desperate try-saving tackle from an offside position close to the line after 20 minutes. The Black Ferns spread the ball through the hands to the right wing from the resultant tap penalty and Kelsey Teneti sauntered in for the try. King again missed the conversion attempt. A floated Libbie Janse van Rensburg pass deep in Bok territory was then gobbled up by Black Ferns wing Jaymie Kolose who scored their third try. Hela again responded for the Springbok Women off a rolling maul in the 31st minute to bring the home team within three points at 15-12. Bok Women's coach Swys de Bruin would have been worried by the amount of space on the home side's flanks. When outside centre Eloise Webb was also shown yellow in the 37th minute for an intentional knock-on, they were again punished out wide. Teneti was again the scorer. An obstruction in the build-up denied the visitors another try after the hooter. The Bok Women were also unlucky not to score a try of their own after a number of attacking phases. Trailing at the break, but far from done. A big second half coming from the #BokWomen 🔥#MakeItCount — SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) July 26, 2025 Webb returned from the sin bin. The Bok scrum continued to cause problems for the visitors' pack. But the defensive steel was lacking minutes later when Hollyrae Mete-Renata barged over the line despite the attentions of a number of Bok defenders. Replacement flyhalf Kaea Nepia kicked the first conversion of the match for the Black Ferns. When Teneti pounced on the loose ball to complete her hat-trick moments later, the Bok Women were in deep trouble. The SA forwards continued to provide front-foot ball, however, and skipper Babalwa Latsha drove over for a well-deserved try after sustained Springbok pressure after the 50th minute. Cilliers added the two points. Latsha grew in stature as the Bok Women started to make the hard yards. Fired-up centre Chumisa Qawe was also hitting the line hard. Yet the visitors held firm. The penalty count was mounting in favour of the home side and a yellow for Maama Vaipulu in the 64th minute gave the SA side a potential way back into the match. Bok subsitute Nombuyekezo Mdliki thought she had scored two minutes later after a number of phases of attacking play, but it was ruled out for obstruction in the build-up. They hammered away at the Black Ferns defensive line, with Nadine Roos shifted from fullback to scrumhalf. But handling errors and poor decision making cost the SA side once again with time running out. The Bok Women threw everything at the Black Ferns with less than three minutes to go, and the charging Mdliki would not be denied this time. They continued to press but could not add to the scoreline. Points scorers Springbok Women 26 Tries: Hele (2), Latsha, Mdliki; Conversions: Cilliers (3) Black Ferns XV 34 Tries: Paul, Teneti (3), Kolosi, Mete-Renata; Conversions: Nepia (2)
IOL News
3 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Aseza Hele's brace not enough to foil Black Ferns XV as Bok Women fall short at Athlone
Springbok No 8 Aseza Hele was hugely impressive for the home team by scoring two tries against the Black Ferns XV at Athlone Stadium on Saturday. Picture: Henk Kruger Independent Media Image: Henk Kruger Independent Media SPRINGBOK Women No 8 Aseza Hele powered over for a brace of tries, but it was not enough to deny the Black Ferns XV a 36-24 victory in the historic clash at Athlone Stadium on Saturday. A strong home crowd came out in support of the Boks in the first-ever contest against their Antipodean rivals on South African soil. It was a clash of styles from the outset with the New Zealanders' trademark high-tempo attacking running game up against the forward-dominated Boks. The visitors ran in six tries to the Boks' four, with the opener coming after just two minutes through fullback Mererangi Paulto, to sound an ominous warning. But to the Boks' credit, they played with plenty of spirit and endeavour, with hard-running Hele hugely impressive. The dreadlocked blonde backrower made plenty of metres every time she had the ball under her arm, pulling in a host of Black Ferns XV defenders to bring her down each time. Black Ferns XV centre Hollyrae Mete-Renata dives for a try in her team's victory over the Springbok Women at Athlone Stadium on Saurday. Picture: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The visitors failed to do so in the 20th minute, when after the Bok forwards had steamrolled the Black Ferns XV at scrum time to win a heal-against-the-head, the home side managed to set up a maul for Hele to power over for the first of her two tries. Unfortunately, the Boks' discipline let them down at crucial moments with lock Vainah Ubisi and centre Eloise Webb being sent to the bin for infringements. The Black Ferns utilised the numerical advantage to full effect with winger Jaymie Kolose intercepting a loose pass to run in for an easy five-pointer before hat-trick hero and Player of the Match Kelsey Teneti dotted down for her first try. Hele, though, struck back for the Boks after another strong maul with her second try to reduce the deficit to just three points. Webb's yellow card, though, saw the Boks' rush defence disorganised with the Black Ferns XV able to exploit the extra space out wide with Teneti scored her second try of the half to allow the visitors to take a 20-12 lead into the halftime break. The Boks would have hoped to rebound after the interval, but it was the Black Ferns XV that blitzed the home side with a double strike through centre pairing Hollyrae Mete-Renata and Teneti that put the visitors out of sight. To Swys de Bruin's team credit, they never rolled over with the Boks lifting their intensity after Nadine Roos moved to scrumhalf for the remainder of the match. Roos' livewire presence at the base of the scrum put the marauding Boks forwards on the front foot, as she popped up the ball for the front rankers to punch holes in the Black Ferns XV defence. The home side were rewarded for their efforts with captain Babala Letsha and Nombuyekezo Mdliki barging their way over - much to the delight of the rousing home support. The Boks and the Black Ferns XV will go head-to-head again next weekend at the same venue in the second and final match of the series. Scorers: Springbok Women 26 (12) – Tries: Aseza Hele (2), Babalwa Latsha, Nombuyekezo Mdliki. Conversions: Jakkie Cilliers (3). Black Ferns XV 34 (20) – Tries: Mererangi Paul, Kelsey Teneti (3), Jaymie Kolose, Hollyrae Mete Renata. Conversions: Hannah King (2).
