BDF Cheetahs muscle out Jwaneng in Women’s 15s
Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday June 16, 2026 10:19
The Jwaneng squad was beefed with some players from Shakawe rugby club but they could still not stop the marauding Army side. Speaking to Sport Monitor, Jwaneng coach, Karabo Fani explained that the new format was mentioned at the beginning of the year but there were some delays in terms of implementation. According to the trainer, when fixtures were finally released, they were informed that they were going to merge with Shakawe rugby club and that was a shock looking at the distance. “Shakawe players arrived in Jwaneng a few days before the game and it was difficult to merge the two teams that play different types of rugby,” he said. “At least during the match there was a bit of cohesion within the players, they played much better.
We spend a lot of money to attend league matches, even if you win the league, there is no prize money.” For his part, Cheetahs coach, Onamile Tshimologo noted that when Botswana Rugby Union (BRU) announced 15s format, the decision shook clubs a bit looking at the fewer number of women who play rugby. He said as a team they knew that they had the numbers and there was no need to be merged with other clubs. Tshimologo said as a result, his players struggled because there was a lot of contacts as the players are used to play in open field. Meanwhile, women’s representative, Keneilwe Modise told Sport Monitor that BRU has for several years aspired to transition into the women’s 15s game in order to align with regional and international developments.
She explained that across the region and globally, rugby rankings are determined through participation and performance in both formats (15s and 7s). Modise added that BRU’s revised 2025-2028 strategy places significant emphasis on the growth and promotion of women’s rugby as a pathway to greater competitiveness and global recognition. “The ongoing transition to women’s 15s rugby is therefore a strategic and necessary step towards achieving these objectives and positioning Botswana rugby for long-term success.
Extensive consultations were conducted with our clubs regarding the transition, and we acknowledge the challenges associated with players numbers,” she said. “To address this, we adopted a flexible approach that allows women players from different clubs to combine where necessary in order to field full teams. This initiative provides all players with a valuable opportunity to gain experience and develop their understanding of the 15s format of the game.”