Former Springbok Women’s players Natasha Hofmeester and Zolisa Noxeke have been appointed as the first coaches of the SA Schools Girls teams, which will take the field for the first time after the FNB U18 Girls Week in Gqeberha next month, after SA Rugby announced the appointments on Tuesday, 2 June 2026.
Hofmeester will be assisted by Catherine Lowane with the SA Schools Girls team, while Nosipho Poswa, also a former Springbok Women’s player, joins Noxeke as assistant with the SA Schools Girls ‘A’ team.
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Hayden Groepes, who led the Isuzu Bulls Daisies to three consecutive women’s provincial titles, takes charge of the Junior Springbok Women when they face the USA U20s in Stellenbosch next month.
Groepes will be assisted by Claudia Francke and Edgar Marutlulle, a former head coach of the Vodacom Bulls’ Carling Currie Cup team, while former Springbok Women’s Sevens captain Mathrin Simmers comes in as development coach.
Albertus Buckle, an experienced former provincial prop, will assist both girls’ teams with their scrums, focusing on technical proficiency, body shape, stability and power generation to enhance set-piece performance and ensure safety.
Two respected former SA Schools coaches, Katleho Lynch and Sean Erasmus, have been brought in as mentors to the SA Schools Girls teams’ management.
Hofmeester, Poswa, Simmers, Noxeke, Francke and Lowane were part of a group of 24 elite coaches who recently took part in SA Rugby’s new Women Coaches’ Transitioning Workshop, a critical initiative designed to bridge the gender gap in elite coaching.
SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer welcomed the appointments and singled out the all-women coaching group leading the SA Schools Girls sides.
“It’s especially exciting to see four women’s coaches in Natasha, Zolisa, Catherine, and Nosipho take control of our SA Schools Girls teams, as the deliberate growth and education of our female coaches is a core pillar of our ‘Destination 2027’ strategy.”
SA Rugby CEO, Rian Oberholzer
“We’ve also brought in Katleho and Sean to assist the management teams for the SA Schools Girls sides with things like planning and strategies, and to act as sounding boards to the coaches when needed,” he added.
“I would like to wish all these coaches and their management teams all the best for the forthcoming season. We’re excited to see what our teams in green and gold will do,” Oberholzer said.
Junior Springbok Women
Head coach: Hayden Groepes
Assistant coach: Claudia Francke
Assistant coach: Edgar Marutlulle
Development coach: Mathrin Simmers
S&C coach: Owethu Sityata
S&C coach / Biokineticist: Seipati Rasenyalo
Team manager: Nandipha Manjezi
Team doctor: Megan Scribante
Physiotherapist: Greshne van Wyk
SA Schools Girls
Head coach: Natasha Hofmeester
Assistant coach: Catherine Lowane
Scrum coach: Albertus Buckle
S&C coach: Liphiwe Nxasana
Team manager: Sindi Lukhozi
Team doctor: Lisa Coltman
Physiotherapist: Megan Chetty
Coach mentor: Katleho Lynch
SA Schools Girls ‘A’
Head coach: Zolisa Noxeke
Assistant coach: Nosipho Poswa
S&C coach: Michaela Diaz
Team manager: Sharry Carolissen
Team doctor: Lisa Coltman
Physiotherapist: Khanyisile Booi
Coach mentor: Sean Erasmus
Original Copy: SA Rugby Communications, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Former Springbok Women’s players Natasha Hofmeester (pictured) and Zolisa Noxeke have been appointed as the first coaches of the SA Schools Girls teams, with four women’s coaches taking charge as part of SA Rugby’s Destination 2027 strategy to grow and educate female coaches in the elite game. All Photos: Gallo Images / SA Rugby
Photo 2 Caption: Hofmeester and Zolisa Noxeke (pictured) lead the first SA Schools Girls teams ahead of the FNB U18 Girls Week in Gqeberha next month.
