Aseza Hele has revealed the source of tears she shed after South Africa made history at the Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup \u2013 giving praise both to Siya Kolisi and the grandmother who raised her.<\/p>\n
Victory over Italy, a nation four places above them in the world rankings, provided the shock of the tournament to date, catapulting the Springbok Women into the quarter-finals for the first time, with a game to spare.<\/p>\n
Rassie Erasmus led the chorus of approval for Hele and her teammates, revealing he set his alarm for 2.30 am in New Zealand to watch live coverage of the match played in York.<\/p>\n
At the final whistle, Hele<\/a> was not alone in being overwhelmed by emotion and has now explained exactly what went through her mind in that glory moment.<\/p>\n \u201cI was thinking of my granny, Zodwa, who brought up me and my sister Athi,\u201d said the barnstorming number eight and scorer of four tries in South Africa\u2019s two games. \u201cI felt so emotional.<\/p>\n \u201cAs children, we would wake at midnight to pray with her. She was forever telling us, \u2018Believe in prayer, believe in God. Anything can happen if you believe in God and yourself.\u2019 How right she was. Look at what we have achieved here.<\/p>\n \u201cMy granny passed away in 2014. She would have been so proud. I spoke to my sister after the game and said, \u201cIs this real? Please pinch me!\u201d<\/p>\n Investment in the youth<\/p>\n The Springbok Women<\/a> did not even play between 2014 and 2017 as SA Rugby decided to focus on developing teenage girls rather than continue chasing a losing cause.<\/p>\n Nobody expected them to reach the knockout stages here, with perhaps one notable exception. Kolisi, two-time World Cup-winning captain of the Springbok Men, has always had their back.<\/p>\n In a country where, for too long, women\u2019s rugby was not afforded recognition, let alone respect, Kolisi assumed the role of chief cheerleader, even turning up to support them in one of their game jerseys.<\/p>\n \u201cWomen have been supporting us for a very long time and they deserve the same support that we get every single weekend,\u201d he told the nation. \u201cIt\u2019s is our duty as men in the game to make sure we be there, because if the women\u2019s game grows the whole of rugby grows and we all benefit out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n A year on from those comments, the Springbok Women, unbeaten leaders of Pool D, prepare to face France on Sunday knowing that the worst-case scenario is a last-eight clash with holders New Zealand.<\/a><\/p>\n Being seen by Siya<\/p>\n \u201cWe are now being seen,\u201d Hele said. \u201cFeeling love and respect. A lot of that is down to Siya, oh that man is so lovely and warm. You talk about warmth, you talk about Siya. He\u2019s so humble, he loves everyone. You can talk to him about anything.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are from the same neighbourhood. We play on the same fields. Our clubs are next door, literally we play on the same field, the same stadium in Zwide.<\/p>\n \u201cSiya wants us to grow, like he did, get the opportunities that he got and never dreamed of getting. He wants to make that happen for us as well.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen other people weren\u2019t recognising us, he was shouting and rooting for us, calling people to come and watch our games. And they definitely came, like they never had before. People really listen to him.\u201d<\/p>\n Hele\u2019s childhood was spent in KwaDwesi, a township outside Gqeberha, the coastal city formerly known as Port Elizabeth, just seven kilometres from Zwide, where Kolisi<\/a> hails.<\/p>\n One of the more dangerous areas in South Africa to grow up, Hele played netball until she needed to work to support her family and had to sacrifice the sport in order to do so.<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t quit my job because netball wasn\u2019t professional and so did not pay,\u201d she recalled. \u201cI had to buy my own skirts and pay for travel. And then training clashed with work.<\/p>\n \u201cSomebody suggested I try rugby instead. I didn\u2019t know where it would to take me, but I fell in love with the game, was able to work around it and never looked back.\u201d<\/p>\n