Sol Plaatje University (SPU) Women’s Rugby will return to the national stage after securing the inaugural AVBOB Griquas Women’s Rugby Super League title with a commanding 47–7 victory over Sishen Rugby Club.
The provincial champions have qualified for the 2026 Betway Women’s Club Championship, which will take place from 20 to 25 September 2026 at Alberton Rugby Club in Gauteng. The team will represent SPU and the Northern Cape under the Griquas banner in one of South Africa’s leading women’s club rugby competitions.
SPU earned its place at the national championship through an exceptional provincial campaign that established the team as a leading force in Northern Cape women’s rugby. The emphatic final at Kimberley’s Suzuki Stadium showcased the squad’s depth, discipline and attacking strength, while confirming the progress the team has made over successive seasons.
The achievement carries significance beyond the result. It reflects SPU’s growing contribution to athlete development and demonstrates that women’s rugby talent from the Northern Cape can compete at the highest levels of the domestic game.
Building on national history
This will be SPU’s second consecutive appearance at the Betway Women’s Club Championship. The team made an immediate impact at the inaugural tournament in 2025 by winning the opening match of the competition, defeating the Raiders 24–17.
That match also placed SPU in the championship’s history books. Flyhalf Juanine Jacobs scored the first-ever points in the competition, while centre Jenna van Nel and fullback Donishea Cloete added tries to secure the landmark victory.
The experience gained during the inaugural tournament now provides a foundation for SPU’s return. The team heads to Alberton as provincial champions, better prepared for the demands of national competition and determined to build on its first appearance.
Growing women’s rugby through opportunity
The Betway Women’s Club Championship brings together 16 leading clubs from across South Africa. Teams compete in Premier and First divisions through strength-versus-strength seeding, creating competitive fixtures and expanded opportunities for women players.
SPU’s return demonstrates the important role universities can play in creating sporting pathways for student-athletes and strengthening women’s rugby beyond the country’s traditional rugby centres.
As they prepare to represent the University, Griqualand West and the Northern Cape, the SPU Women’s Rugby team carries both the confidence of provincial champions and the ambition to make its mark once again on the national stage.
