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.

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