A replay of last year’s Women’s Premier Division final in Pretoria highlights the second round of the 2025 competition, with the Bulls Daisies welcoming DHL Western Province to Pretoria on Saturday.

The three other matches – in Durban, Wellington and East London – also promise to deliver a feast of rugby as the teams hit their stride in the new season.

The Sharks Women welcome Free State Women to Durban for their first home game of 2025, while Sanlam Boland Dames and Border Ladies, who both won at home in round one, will be looking to do so again against the EP Queens and Golden Lions Women.

The Daisies and their Cape Town opponents scored 23 of the 40 tries in last weekend’s opening round of the competition and clearly have their attacking play working already, but it is most likely the best defence that will determine who will prevail at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Province is the only team who have managed to beat the Daisies in the last two seasons, so they will have some confidence and knowledge on how to get the best of the home side.

Daisies coach Hayden Groepes has named 12 Test players in his starting line-up and there are two more Springbok Women on the bench, while the Capetonians boast six.

The battle up front will be highly significant in this clash, with Nolusindiso Booi, Nomsa Mokwai, Azisa Mkiva and Luchell Hanekom boosting the DHL WP pack, with the lock pairing of Booi and Mokwai – who will make their first appearance this season – potentially holding the key for the visitors.

The Capetonians’ backline is exciting to say the least and they will score some tries, but their challenge will be to keep the hard-running Chumisa Qawe and Zintle Mpupha at bay in the midfield. Add the open field running of loose forwards Sizo Solontsi and Lusanda Dumke, the Daisies’ captain, and this promises to be a fantastic match to watch.

The Sharks Women were the only team not to score a try last weekend and attack should be front of mind against the Free Staters in Durban. They do have some serious strike power on the right wing in Ulender Khumalo, who scored 11 tries in last year’s campaign. It is significant to see the national halfback pairing of Tayla Kinsey and Mary Zulu playing off the bench, so clearly KZN coach Jason Hector has a plan in mind.

The Free State side will bring an energetic attitude on attack and some early points could just get them going. They are finding their feet under new coach Anchin Klein, but such is her ability to bring the best out of her players, that it will be sooner rather than later that success will happen on the scoreboard.

The Golden Lions Women showed glimpses of what they are capable of against Boland last weekend, but some weaknesses were exposed as well, something Border will be well aware of when they face them in East London.

The Johannesburgers have a real gem in former Junior Springbok Women wing Thobile Msizazwe, who scored two well-taken tries last weekend, but giving her enough ball in space could be an issue.

Border’s international midfield pairing of Aphiwe Ngwevu and Eloise Webb ranks amongst the best in the Premier Division and the home side will be wise to provide them with possession all day. Ngwevu’s hard running and Webb’s soft hands and guile will test the visitors.

Sanlam Boland Dames will be looking for another payday in Wellington where they host the EP Queens. The Bolanders pumped the Lions last weekend and will be full of confidence. Aiding their effort is the stellar form of the likes of Aseza Hele, Nomawethu Mabenge and Maceala Samboya, who shows international class on provincial level.

The Queens will bring a fighting spirit second to none with them, but that alone will not be enough to beat the likes of the Dames, who finished third on the log last year. They will have to value their ball possession and sort out their maul defence if they want to halt Boland’s onslaught.

Match information:

Sharks Women v Free State Women

Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park 2, Durban

Date: Saturday, 1 February

Kick-off: 12h00

Referee: Stiaan Marx