Springbok forward who swaps ER shifts for scrums - Nomsa Mokwai eyes World Cup glory

Springbok forward Nomsa Mokwai doesn’t just hit hard on the rugby field for the Women rugby team - she also resuscitates patients in a Cape Town emergency room. With 13 Test caps to her name and a gruelling schedule that sees her swapping scrums for 12-hour ER shifts, Mokwai is one of many women juggling full-time work with national duty. At 32, she’s gunning for a spot in the squad heading to Twickenham for the 2025 World Cup - even if that means sacrificing family time and sleep. In an interview with BizNews, Mokwai shares how she balances life on the frontlines of medicine and sport, and why she hopes to trade her stethoscope for a full-time medical degree once her rugby career winds down..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here.The auditorium doors will open for BNIC#2 on 10 September 2025 in Hermanus. For more information and tickets, click here..Watch here.Listen here.Edited transcript of the interview .Linda van Tilburg (00:00.694)Nomsa Mokwai has earned 13 Test caps for South Africa as a Springbok Women’s rugby player. She’s featured in recent matches, including the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar, and now stands on the brink of breaking into the national squad set to represent South Africa at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, kicking off at the end of August at Twickenham. But Nomsa isn’t just chasing jerseys. She’s a former model. She’s juggling elite rugby training with night shifts as an emergency room nurse in Cape Town. Well, Nomsa, it’s so lovely to have you in the business studio. Before we get to the Rugby World Cup, I want to know, you know, I don’t want to judge looks, but you don’t look like somebody who can tackle. If I just look at you, how did you get into rugby?Nomsa Mokwai (00:58)I used to play netball. I was involved in the SA Under-19 and Under-20 squad. And this one time, I went to a rugby training camp with my friends. They were just really in love with how they played, like, the sport in general. I remember that year I was selected to play Under-16 for the Leopards - that’s the province in Northwest. In that tournament, I was chosen as player of the tournament. From there, I was selected to represent the Springboks Under-20 and also Netball SA. But because the Springboks were so supportive, I finally chose rugby, which I don’t regret. I’m so glad and grateful I chose that path.Linda van Tilburg (01:55)So, from that school rugby, how did you eventually become a Springbok?Nomsa Mokwai (01:58)It’s been a long journey, I can tell you. It took me years to actually wear that Springbok jersey. When I was first selected, I was, I think, 18 years old, training with people like Nolusindiso Booi. Booi is in her 50th cap. But I trained and trained. I mean, there were times when injuries were involved, and sometimes you weren’t chosen. It took me a very long time.Linda van Tilburg (02:30)So, your position that you play - you play in the scrum?Nomsa Mokwai (02:35.882)Yes, I play lock and flank, but at this point, I’m a flank. I can also mention that I’m one of the first players to be contracted by SARU. I first got my cap playing for the Springboks Sevens.Linda van Tilburg (02:53)Sevens is amazing because it’s so much faster.Nomsa Mokwai (02:55)Yes, and back then, I was still a student. I remember I had to freeze my studies because I wanted to play for the Springboks. I wanted to represent my country because I know what it takes to wear that jersey with pride. I mean, you’re not just representing yourself; you’re representing your friends, your family, and the whole nation.Linda van Tilburg (03:16)I know how we feel when we hear “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” when we watch rugby - how does it feel for you as a player on the field to hear it?Nomsa Mokwai (03:32)It feels amazing because you know you’re carrying a whole nation on your shoulders. I mean, you’re representing beautiful South Africans.Linda van Tilburg (03:36)Do you think women’s rugby gets enough attention in South Africa?Nomsa Mokwai (03:44)If I can be honest with you, Linda, things are changing now. I mean, women are being recognised now. We have players getting sponsored. We have players recognised outside South Africa. I mean, we’ve got players playing for clubs in England, you know. So, I think we’re getting there.Linda van Tilburg (04:06)Yeah, so the support for women in rugby is growing. I know my whole family watches women’s rugby too. So, how do you manage? You’ve got rugby and all that training, but you’re also an ER nurse pulling night shifts in Cape Town. How do you balance that?Nomsa Mokwai (04:27)To be honest, Linda, at the beginning, I sat myself down and went through the process. I’m like, okay, Nomsa, you’re a professional nurse now who needs to work and help patients. On the other hand, you’re a professional rugby player. What is it that you want between the two? I thought to myself, you know what? I can’t ignore the fact that I’m talented. God gave me this talent to play rugby, and I’m recognised by South Africa, so I can’t just deny that. But I also can’t leave nursing because I studied to become a nurse. Then I said to myself, you know what? I can do both. If other people can do it, well, I’m also on that train, or I’ll be the first one to prove you can do both. I mean, we’re not getting younger. Being able to juggle the two comes from thinking, you know what, there are so many South African girls who wish and hope to be where I am right now. If I don’t pursue this talent and play for the Springboks, I’ll be letting them down. At some point in the future, I don’t want to sit down, look back, and feel any regrets, like, you know, I should have played or I wish I had played. At that point, it’ll be too late.Linda van Tilburg (06:05)But if there was enough money in women’s rugby, you could probably choose a professional career, or wouldn’t you want to…?Nomsa Mokwai (06:10)I would definitely go for rugby. Like I said, I’m not getting any younger, and I love the sport. It’s amazing.Linda van Tilburg (06:18)And nursing is always something to fall back on afterward because a rugby career isn’t very long.Nomsa Mokwai (06:24)Yes, yes. When people hear I’m a nurse and a professional rugby player, they see it as glitz and glamour. To be honest, it’s not. It requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice. I mean, I don’t get to see my family when I’m off at work or at rugby. When I’m not at rugby, I’m at work doing my job. So, it takes a lot of hard work. The only thing that motivates me is the goal - why I’m doing it. I want to be in the World Cup squad, not just part of the squad, but playing the matches. I feel like I’ve worked so hard to be where I am today. If I count how many World Cups have passed me by, just out of my hands, you know. This time around, I’ve been given another opportunity, so I’ve got to grab it with both hands. If it requires training after a 12-hour night shift, I’ll do it because, at the end of the day, it comes back to why I’m doing it.Linda van Tilburg (07:14)Let’s talk about the World Cup. You recently featured in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Madagascar, and you’re training with the squad going to Twickenham. Are you hoping to crack it this time?Nomsa Mokwai (07:56)Yes, I’m very excited. I see I’ve got an opportunity. I’ve got a chance.Linda van Tilburg (08:01)Can we talk a little about injuries? That’s always a problem for rugby players - it’s so rough. How do women deal with injuries as rugby players?Nomsa Mokwai (08:15)It’s the same as playing rugby. I mean, we know it’s a physical contact sport. Injuries will happen. I think it’s about how you manage yourself, being responsible, and taking care of your body.Linda van Tilburg (08:37)Does your physical strength as a rugby player help you in the ER?Nomsa Mokwai (08:42)Yes, it does. I mean, pushing those beds, lifting patients, doing compressions during resuscitations - it helps a lot.Linda van Tilburg (08:53)So, what else is your dream? What else would you like to do?Nomsa Mokwai (08:57.27)With regards to my nursing career, I’d love one day to study medicine. Sometimes I feel like it’s too late, but after rugby, I think I’ll go that route.Linda van Tilburg (09:15)To study medicine and become a doctor?Nomsa Mokwai (09:17)Yes, ma’am.Linda van Tilburg (09:18)I think you’re an amazing example to young women. Any young woman who wants to do what you do, what would your message be to them?Nomsa Mokwai (09:27)My message would be: if you have a goal, go for it. Just know it won’t be easy. You have to put your mindset to it. Tell yourself you’re doing it, and you’ll achieve it. Everything in life has its ups and downs, obstacles here and there, but it comes back to your resilience, if I can put it that way. To all the young girls who think it’s impossible, if I told you my journey, you’d see everything is possible.Even if there’s a time frame for achieving a goal, if you don’t make it, keep grinding because the doors will open, and eventually, you’ll get it. Like I said, Linda, I’m 32, but I’ve been playing since I was 18. I’ve got only 13 caps behind my name, but I never stopped. I kept banging on those doors for opportunities, and eventually, they came. It’s never too late to achieve what you want.Linda van Tilburg (10:50)Do you have any role models in rugby you look up to?Nomsa Mokwai (11:02)It’s Nolusindiso Booi. I know people will say we’re friends and we stay together, but it’s not about that. I mean, as women, we think after the age of 35, there’s nothing more for us. But she’s 40 years old, and she’s still playing. And she’s not just playing - she’s amazing. She still delivers what she did when she was younger. I mean, she knew what she wanted. She wanted to be, you know, the first woman to be the most capped. And she’s achieving it, not only as that, but as a Springbok captain.Linda van Tilburg (11:38)Well, keep knocking, and we hope you crack the team for Twickenham. Nomsa Mokwai, thank you for talking to us.Nomsa Mokwai (11:40)Thank you so much, Linda.

Springbok forward who swaps ER shifts for scrums - Nomsa Mokwai eyes World Cup glory

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