Perhaps the world’s most unfortunately named rugby player is Sanelisiwe Charlie. In isiXhosa, the first name of the Springboks prop means “we are satisfied.”
This name signifies contentment and is typically designated for a child born after several siblings—she is the fifth of five females.
Charlie has the opposite sentiment. This explains why she has never had a scrum penalty blown against her since making her senior debut in 2020.
She is adamant that it is true. Scrums are something I take extremely seriously. It’s something I’m really pleased about. Making those hits, pushing as hard as I can, and milking penalties. I adore it.
The large units in the front row have long been adored by South Africans, but throughout the last eight years, this bond has grown. Players that popularized the slogan “salads don’t win scrums,” such as Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira, Frans Malherbe, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent “Mr Incredible” Koch, and Ox Nche, have changed the perception of this widely misinterpreted viewpoint.
Charlie is adamant about getting her name on the list. The 24-year-old, who has 21 caps for her nation, says, “I want to be that person in the women’s game.”
It’s not simple. I have plenty of work ahead of me. We’re growing as a group. I am aware that I am not yet there. I am aware that as a team, we are not yet there. But I’d like to be. My goal is to help my team win a game by winning a penalty. All I want is that.
Charlie’s lack of a childhood affinity for the game set her apart from her male peers, and in fact, it sets many female Springboks apart from their male counterparts.
She says, “Rugby was kind of forced on me.” “I definitely heard about rugby because I lived in the Eastern Cape, but I wasn’t very interested in playing.
However, people kept telling me that I had to play because of the shape of my body. I was eighteen. I simply asked myself, “Why not?” So I gave it a shot. The rest is history.
Charlie doesn’t hold back while addressing the delicate topic of body image and how women may experience pressure to have a particular appearance. Men also go through this, of course, but society as a whole tends to be more understanding of a man who is poor.
Charlie laughs and remarks, “I couldn’t scrum as well as I do if I had a six pack.” “It’s okay that no prop in the world has a six pack. Not that I don’t have any work to do. I know I need to get fitter, and I want to get fitter.
However, I want to let girls know that it’s acceptable to look the way you do. I am appreciative of my strength. I advocate for my nation by using my strength. Why wouldn’t I take pride in that?
She contributes significantly to the scrum for other reasons as well. She supports her mother and her four sisters as the family’s only provider.
“Every time I squat down to scrum, I think of them,” she says. Perhaps this is the reason I’ve never lost a scrum. When I’m trying to get my family to eat, how could I lose a scrum or give away a penalty?
“Someone else will take my place if I don’t continue to win penalties. Additionally, my family won’t eat if I lose my job or contract. I can’t allow that to occur.
Charlie is a full-time professional who was selected as one of 11 Bulls Daisies players for the Springbok Women’s final WXV 2 match against Italy on matchday 23.
They keep a careful eye on her conditioning. Her calorie-by-calorie nutritional requirements are determined. She rests and recuperates while she isn’t training. With a strong pack leading the team to success, it is no surprise that the Bulls have won the Women’s Premier Division for the past two years.
Since then, that physicality has been carried over to the Boks, who have adopted a front-foot strategy and made a tribute to the men’s so-called Bomb Squad a recurring theme.
Charlie continues, “I accept responsibility for that physicality.” “Our purpose is to cause trouble.” Our goal is to get massive hits. We want to show the opposing team that we are South African and to knock them behind. that we are serious about this. It’s serious when they play against us.
“There is a lot of work ahead of us. Although we know where we need to improve, our defense [against Australia in a 33-26 loss in Cape Town] was not very good. However, we were pleased with the way we approached the task.
“They were really quick, and I had never played Australia before. Although I know I didn’t go backwards in the scrum, it did show me that I need to improve my agility and quickness, among other things. That is not going to occur.
Charlie says she is “determined” to see out a victory and will start on the bench this weekend, but like other camp voices, she downplays the significance of this one-off outcome.
“Next year in England, we’re all focused on the World Cup,” she explains. That’s what we’re all discussing. We don’t hesitate to express it. Now that we’re winning, we enjoy the sensation. We desire it more. However, we are also aware that we are preparing for a significant event in the upcoming year. If we are able to maintain
“I’ll continue to work hard. For South Africa and my family. For every young girl interested in rugby. Yes, I can say that I will never give up.