South African Rugby (Saru) has confirmed that Swys de Bruin has resigned as head coach of the Springbok Women, just days before the team is due to face New Zealand’s Black Ferns at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
The announcement was made on Thursday, 3 September, with Saru confirming that De Bruin had stepped down from his position and would not oversee the team in Saturday’s historic Test.
His departure comes at a particularly significant moment for the Springbok Women, who are preparing to face New Zealand on South African soil for the first time. The match will serve as the curtain-raiser to the third Test between the Springboks and All Blacks.
Saru did not provide details about the circumstances surrounding De Bruin’s resignation, saying it would not comment further in the short term so that the team could concentrate on the upcoming match.
Johannes-Haupt and September take charge
Assistant coaches Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September will act as co-head coaches for the encounter with New Zealand.
Saru said the pair had already led the Springbok Women to success in Kenya and Fiji earlier this year and would continue in the interim following De Bruin’s decision to step down.
Johannes-Haupt said the team would remain focused on the task despite the disruption to the coaching structure.
“This is a big moment for us as a team, but we will make sure the focus remains between the four lines,” she said.
She added that the squad had continued to build depth since last year’s Rugby World Cup and had a specific approach for the Black Ferns.
“We believe this is the right squad for this game, and we go to FNB Stadium with a very specific game plan in mind,” Johannes-Haupt said.
A coach who helped make history
De Bruin took over as Springbok Women head coach in August 2024 and played a key role in the team’s historic progress at the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England.
Under his guidance, South Africa reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, before their campaign ended with a defeat to New Zealand – the same side they will now meet again at FNB Stadium.
The coach had also been involved in South African rugby for many years, including a successful spell with the Lions, where he helped guide the side to the 2018 Super Rugby final.
His departure therefore represents a major change for a Springbok Women programme that had been showing signs of growing competitiveness on the international stage.
Reports of a dispute
While Saru has not publicly explained why De Bruin resigned, reports in South African rugby media have linked his departure to a dispute involving bonuses and disagreements around the team.
According to reports cited by The Citizen, De Bruin believed he was entitled to winning bonuses from the Springbok Women’s successful tours to Kenya and Fiji, despite not personally being present on those tours. Reports also suggested that there were concerns over interference in team affairs.
Those reports have not been confirmed by Saru, which has declined to comment further on the matter.
For now, the focus shifts to the pitch, with Johannes-Haupt and September tasked with guiding the Springbok Women through one of the biggest matches in their recent history.
The Test kicks off at 13:30 on Saturday, 5 September, at FNB Stadium.
