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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The domestic women’s rugby season is over, with the Bulls Daisies asserting their dominance by winning a third Premier Division title in a row over the weekend. The Pretoria side pummelled a valiant Western Province 46-31 to seal a historic hat-trick. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having lost just one of their previous 33 matches heading into the final in Tshwane, the Daisies were heavy favourites to defend their title. They did so in style, although Western Province put up more resistance than expected, with the score tied at 17-17 when halftime came. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the end though the quality of the Daisies blossomed brightly as they fought off the determined Western Cape outfit for a sensational victory to match their equally sensational season. For Western Province, it was their fifth successive defeat in the final of the competition. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2653368\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TL_2380177.jpg\" alt=\"Bulls Daisies\" width=\"1700\" height=\"1176\" /> <em>Patience Mokone celebrates her try with Bulls Daisies teammates during the Premier Division final against Western Province at Loftus Versfeld on 29 March 2025. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n<h4><b>Supreme Daisies </b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So peerless were the Daisies that apart from avoiding defeat throughout the league format, they also scored a mammoth 512 points in their seven matches. That’s an average of 73 points per game. The next-best side, the Boland Dames (who finished third), managed 366. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The last three years have been great… A wonderful reward for a group that has played some great rugby. This team has grown immensely. Likewise, as coaches, we have become better at what we do. All around, we have evolved into a collective that has done well in bringing our individual skills to add to the richness of the club,” said Daisies coach Hayden Groepes.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the Daisies were once again above their rivals this season, mostly due to being the only professional side in the Premier Division, there were a number of players who put up their hands to be included in the Springbok team for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England from 22 August to 27 September. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2653363\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TL_2380252.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1720\" height=\"1172\" /> <em>Libbie Janse van Rensburg of the Bulls Daisies celebrates Shaunique Alexander’s try. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2653361\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TL_2380181.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1137\" /> <em>Try time for Jakkie Cilliers of the Bulls Daisies. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n<h4><b>World Cup-bound</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The likes of Elmé Kruger (Western Province), her teammate Leigh Fortuin and the Boland Dames’ Lara Schats have given the national team coaches a big headache with their consistent displays during the season. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Springbok Women face a tricky pool, where France are the favourites to finish first. The South Africans will then be left to fight for second spot with Italy and Brazil and reach the quarterfinals – on paper at least. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite admitting that France are indeed the favourites to top Pool D, Bok veteran Zintle Mpupha believes they are not unbeatable and South Africa can shock the world by finishing first in their group. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2653365\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TL_2380127.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1730\" height=\"1184\" /> <em>Ziyanda Ngohlekana of the Bulls Daisies tackles Luchell Hanekom of Western Province in their Premier Division final clash. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Definitely. We have a chance. It’s all in our hands. Seeing how we played against Italy during the last WXV we had, it was a tough battle. They’d be lying to themselves if they thought it was a walk in the park. They had to fight for it, up until the last whistle. So, we have a chance,” Mpupha said on SuperSport’s Off the Bench.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Brazil is an underrated team. There’s no footage [of them playing]. So we have no clue what they are going to bring. But once again, we look into ourselves. What are we going to bring on that day? We are willing and we have it in our hands,” Mpupha stated. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the 2021 World Cup, the Boks finished bottom of their group after falling to defeat in all three of the matches – including to underdogs Fiji. This time they will be out to finally announce themselves to the world. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The domestic women’s rugby season is over, with the Bulls Daisies asserting their dominance by winning a third Premier Division title in a row over the weekend. The Pretoria side pummelled a valiant Western Province 46-31 to seal a historic hat-trick. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having lost just one of their previous 33 matches heading into the final in Tshwane, the Daisies were heavy favourites to defend their title. They did so in style, although Western Province put up more resistance than expected, with the score tied at 17-17 when halftime came. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the end though the quality of the Daisies blossomed brightly as they fought off the determined Western Cape outfit for a sensational victory to match their equally sensational season. For Western Province, it was their fifth successive defeat in the final of the competition. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2653368\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1700\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2653368\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TL_2380177.jpg\" alt=\"Bulls Daisies\" width=\"1700\" height=\"1176\" /> <em>Patience Mokone celebrates her try with Bulls Daisies teammates during the Premier Division final against Western Province at Loftus Versfeld on 29 March 2025. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n<h4><b>Supreme Daisies </b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So peerless were the Daisies that apart from avoiding defeat throughout the league format, they also scored a mammoth 512 points in their seven matches. That’s an average of 73 points per game. 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They’d be lying to themselves if they thought it was a walk in the park. They had to fight for it, up until the last whistle. So, we have a chance,” Mpupha said on SuperSport’s Off the Bench.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Brazil is an underrated team. There’s no footage [of them playing]. So we have no clue what they are going to bring. But once again, we look into ourselves. What are we going to bring on that day? We are willing and we have it in our hands,” Mpupha stated. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the 2021 World Cup, the Boks finished bottom of their group after falling to defeat in all three of the matches – including to underdogs Fiji. This time they will be out to finally announce themselves to the world. </span><b>DM</b>",
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Patience Mokone celebrates her try with Bulls Daisies teammates during the Premier Division final against Western Province at Loftus Versfeld on 29 March 2025. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)
Libbie Janse van Rensburg of the Bulls Daisies celebrates Shaunique Alexander’s try. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)
Try time for Jakkie Cilliers of the Bulls Daisies. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)
Ziyanda Ngohlekana of the Bulls Daisies tackles Luchell Hanekom of Western Province in their Premier Division final clash. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)