Pro Bulls Daisies rampage through Women’s Premier Division despite unavailable players

The Bulls Daisies became the first domestic women’s team to professionalise in South Africa last year. Since then, they are yet to lose a match.

They clinched the Women’s Premier Division in 2023, winning 14 matches in the season and taking the final emphatically, 69–8 over Western Province.

While the progress of the Blue Bulls union with regards to women’s rugby is a positive step, they have left other unions who remain amateur in the dust.

Bulls Daisies celebrate winning the Women’s Premier Division final against Western Province at Loftus Versfeld B Field in Pretoria, South Africa. 26 August 2023. (Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

High Performance Women’s Manager Thando Manana, however, admits that everything has not been smooth sailing this season.

The Daisies’ success has meant that individuals on the side are being recognised for international duty, weakening the side in the domestic competition.

The Springbok Women recently participated in the Africa Cup, which they won for a third time in succession, meaning Manana had lost nine first-choice players for a month.

The Sevens World Series — which the Bok Women were a core side in for the first time in 10 years —  is also ongoing, meaning another batch of players departing.

Nonetheless, they won their first three matches comfortably, including a 120-0 demolition of the EP Queens.

The Bulls Daisies stuttered to a 24-14 win at Loftus Versfeld against a hard-working Boland Dames side, who have seen a spike in investment and subsequently performances in recent times.

“If you look at this season, I’ve had to bring in emerging Daisies because I don’t have national players [available],” Manana said to Daily Maverick.

“We have in excess of eight players in the [national] Sevens team that we’ve lost.

“There’s no dominance there,” Manana explained despite only one match ending within a 10-point margin so far this season. “It’s just me having pre-planned what’s to come.”

Thando Manana at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, South Africa. 2 May 2023. (Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)

Strong structures

Although losing players to national duty has impacted the continuity of the team, the pathway structure at the Bulls Daisies has seen them continue to put on convincing performances.

“We’re currently using club players that are forming a big part of the Bulls Daisies team and they’re doing well because we’re giving them the same apparatus that the contracted players have,” Manana said.

The Daisies have 35 players contracted to the union.

“We have not added any numbers to our contracted players so if we lose numbers, we don’t replace them,” Manana said.

“We have a good pathway structure at the Blue Bulls. I’m quite happy with how we’ve performed in the first four or five games of the tournament.”

Jakkie Cilliers of the Bulls Daisies running against Western Province at Loftus Versfeld. 26 August 2023. (Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images)

Plan B

Although Manana emphasised losing players to national team has been the biggest struggle for the Bulls Daisies, the number of injuries, particularly anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries has been another concern.

“In fact, I had six or seven players that got ACL injuries while playing nationally,” he said.

“They didn’t get injured playing with us, which is a concern. Whether it’s because of player load, I’m not sure.”

National XVs and Sevens star Rights Mkhari is one of those who are currently in the rehabilitation seat after injuring her knee.

Up-and-coming youngsters Lerato Makua and Yonela Ngxingolo are another two.

“We don’t complain, we look at option B,” Manana explained about working around the injuries.

“Option B is to have a special group of young Blue Bulls players called the Emerging Daisies.

Simamkele Namba of Bulls Daisies at Loftus Versfeld. 26 August 2023. (Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

“We draw them from club rugby and the under-20 team and they have proven to be a handful in terms of making my life a bit difficult because I really want to bring them into the system but I also understand that everything works with a budget.

“I do try and find money to appease them as well so that they continue to have interest in earning their first contracts.”

Two emerging players have since become part of the 35-player contracted cohort after standout performances when given the opportunity in the absence of seniors.

“Two of those players were Patience Mokone and Rachelle du Plessis,” Manana said. “They were just normal players last season and we’ve awarded them with contracts this year.”

The Bulls Daisies have laid the foundation of how a professional women’s rugby side could be run successfully in South Africa, with the South African Rugby Union looking to professionalise the whole domestic game next year. DM