Rugby changed my life, says Springbok Women's star Ayanda Malinga

Ayanda Malinga took up rugby to go against the conventional sporting flow for women, and the sport has rewarded her with a place in the Springboks Women’s team, currently in England for the World Cup.

The Boks begin their campaign on Sunday against Brazil, with Malinga likely to be on the wing for the vital round-one opener.

“This is my first World Cup, and it is very emotional for me because I could not go to the 2022 tournament. I got injured at the last minute,” the 27-year-old speedster said.

“But God’s timing is always the best because this time I feel I am better prepared physically. I’m well and feeling good. I am excited to go there and have this experience.

"There are going to be a lot of people with a lot of experience at the tournament. I will learn through them. Seeing players that I look up to there is going to be something else. I want to enjoy every moment.”

Malinga was born in Mpumalanga and moved to Vosloorus, near Boksburg, in high school. She had been a fullback but switched to the wing “because there were too many fullbacks”.

“I thought, ‘let me take my chance on the wing.’ It worked for me.”

It was a natural shift for a star athlete who once clocked 10.1 seconds in the 100m at school.

But why rugby? What drew Malinga to the sport?

“I think the reason I went for rugby is because people were asking, ‘Why would a woman take up rugby?’ That is why I went for it,” she smiled.

“They would say, ‘It is a man-dominated sport.’ I wanted something that would challenge me, something different from netball and soccer — something that was different. They say rugby is not for women.

"They always have something to say about playing rugby, but it is a sport for all sizes and shapes. Anyone is welcome to play rugby because it accommodates everyone.”

Malinga added that the physicality of the game was also a draw.

“I enjoy the freedom. You can do anything you want on the field, provided it is legal. Maybe if you have anger issues, you can sort that out. There are a lot of things, and you have fun while doing them.

“You get to experience other cultures through it. There are different cultures around the world that you can learn from.”

For Malinga, rugby has been transformative.

“Rugby has changed my life, and for the best,” she says. “I don’t come from a great background, but with rugby, I know how to take care of my family and myself. There are a lot of things that rugby has changed for me. I am very grateful that I chose this sport. It came into my life and did good things.”