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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Springbok Women held on bravely to a win over Japan in the opening clash of WXV 2 at DHL Stadium in Cape Town. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the second year running, the Springbok Women are in action during the </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">six-team women’s 15s tournament. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was a fairly error-strewn match by the </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bok</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Women, who for a large part were outplayed by a quick and classy Japanese outfit. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bok Women, however, held on where they could, and survived on plucky defence and strong running to seal the win and score all five of their tries. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan, in turn, scored four tries. Despite their nimble running and quick hands in attack, it was their rolling maul that caught the Springbok Women by surprise, scoring all of their tries directly off the forward moving set-piece. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-2385853 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/TL_2265824-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1872\" /> <em>Bok Women looseforward Aseza Hele is tackled during the WXV 2 match against Japan at DHL Stadium on 27 September 2024 in Cape Town. (Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n<h4><b>Nervy start</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa endured a stuttering first half filled with errors. Knock-ons, off-target passes, missed one-on-one tackles and poor open play kicking was the theme of the first 40 minutes. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet the Springboks held a 17-12 lead at the break thanks to their superior physicality over an enterprising Japanese side. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan started the match on the front foot, spending a good portion of the opening 10 minutes inside the Springbok Women’s 22-metre area. South Africa’s defence held firm for the most part, </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">punishing the Japan runners.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite dominating physically, Japan held the ascendancy at the maul and opened the scoring with hooker Kotomi Taniguchi through their powerful lineout set piece. </span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more:</b> <a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-09-26-swys-de-bruin-back-on-the-horse-ready-to-spark-excitement-over-springbok-women/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Swys de Bruin back on the horse, ready to spark excitement over Springbok Women</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bok Women hit back within two minutes, with their first attack of the match. The Bok Women used their size and strength advantage by keeping things tight, gaining momentum from pick and goes. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No 8 Aseza Hele eventually powered over. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As if taking turns, Japan struck from the kick-off, building phases within a Bok defence that proved resilient but not impenetrable, particularly off their maul defence.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This time Japan dinked the ball behind after spreading it off the back of another forward rolling maul. Flyhalf Ayasa Otsuka was the recipient of the well-executed set move. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two clinically taken tries followed for South Africa, with inside centre Chumisa Qawe and prop Sanelisiwe Charlie using their strength to get over the advantage line and whitewash.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jakkie Cilliers missed the first two conversions, but converted the third to help South Africa to a 17-12 lead. </span>\r\n<h4><b>Defending a lead</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa came out in the second half and produced some of their best, most enterprising play of the match.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forwards and backs combined well and passes, which weren’t sticking in the first half, were inch-perfect in the five-minute spell. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It culminated with flying winger Ayanda Malinga being put into space, beating the last defender and scoring a classy try. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan though, in the same fashion as the first half, hit back through their maul. No 8 Seina Saito dotted down on both occasions in a five minute period to ensure the teams were locked on 24 points each. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A similar period of grinding by the Bok Women forwards saw lock Vainah Ubisi scoring for the team, and Cilliers converting for a third try with two minutes to go. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It made for a nerve-wrecking final 20 minutes where South Africa seemingly tried their best to lose the match. Backed into their own </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">22-metre</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, they were given numerous opportunities to clear the pressure but failed. </span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more:</b> <a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-09-27-trailblazing-prop-babalwa-latshas-inspirational-journey-of-growth-on-and-off-the-field/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trailblazing prop Babalwa Latsha’s inspirational journey of growth on and off the field</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan came within centimetres of scoring on several occasions, but was repelled by tireless defence. They even crossed the whitewash with only a few minutes to go, but were called back after obstruction in the build-up play. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With SA hanging on by a thread, the final whistle went and the ball was booted out almost immediately. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The team will have many lessons to work on for the next match against Australia on Saturday 5 October, but will be happy to seal a win in their first match of the 2024 tournament. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Springbok Women held on bravely to a win over Japan in the opening clash of WXV 2 at DHL Stadium in Cape Town. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the second year running, the Springbok Women are in action during the </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">six-team women’s 15s tournament. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was a fairly error-strewn match by the </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bok</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Women, who for a large part were outplayed by a quick and classy Japanese outfit. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bok Women, however, held on where they could, and survived on plucky defence and strong running to seal the win and score all five of their tries. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan, in turn, scored four tries. Despite their nimble running and quick hands in attack, it was their rolling maul that caught the Springbok Women by surprise, scoring all of their tries directly off the forward moving set-piece. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2385853\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2560\"]<img class=\"wp-image-2385853 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/TL_2265824-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1872\" /> <em>Bok Women looseforward Aseza Hele is tackled during the WXV 2 match against Japan at DHL Stadium on 27 September 2024 in Cape Town. (Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n<h4><b>Nervy start</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa endured a stuttering first half filled with errors. 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South Africa’s defence held firm for the most part, </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">punishing the Japan runners.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite dominating physically, Japan held the ascendancy at the maul and opened the scoring with hooker Kotomi Taniguchi through their powerful lineout set piece. </span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more:</b> <a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-09-26-swys-de-bruin-back-on-the-horse-ready-to-spark-excitement-over-springbok-women/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Swys de Bruin back on the horse, ready to spark excitement over Springbok Women</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bok Women hit back within two minutes, with their first attack of the match. The Bok Women used their size and strength advantage by keeping things tight, gaining momentum from pick and goes. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No 8 Aseza Hele eventually powered over. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As if taking turns, Japan struck from the kick-off, building phases within a Bok defence that proved resilient but not impenetrable, particularly off their maul defence.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This time Japan dinked the ball behind after spreading it off the back of another forward rolling maul. 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No 8 Seina Saito dotted down on both occasions in a five minute period to ensure the teams were locked on 24 points each. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A similar period of grinding by the Bok Women forwards saw lock Vainah Ubisi scoring for the team, and Cilliers converting for a third try with two minutes to go. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It made for a nerve-wrecking final 20 minutes where South Africa seemingly tried their best to lose the match. Backed into their own </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">22-metre</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, they were given numerous opportunities to clear the pressure but failed. </span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more:</b> <a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-09-27-trailblazing-prop-babalwa-latshas-inspirational-journey-of-growth-on-and-off-the-field/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trailblazing prop Babalwa Latsha’s inspirational journey of growth on and off the field</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan came within centimetres of scoring on several occasions, but was repelled by tireless defence. They even crossed the whitewash with only a few minutes to go, but were called back after obstruction in the build-up play. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With SA hanging on by a thread, the final whistle went and the ball was booted out almost immediately. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The team will have many lessons to work on for the next match against Australia on Saturday 5 October, but will be happy to seal a win in their first match of the 2024 tournament. </span><b>DM</b>",
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Bok Women looseforward Aseza Hele is tackled during the WXV 2 match against Japan at DHL Stadium on 27 September 2024 in Cape Town. (Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)