Simmers feels right at home in France

For Mathrin Simmers, home is where rugby takes her. At the age of 36, she is the oldest member of the Team SA women’s sevens and also the most experienced.

She is closing in on 100 matches for her country and could well reach that figure in the coming weeks.

Her permanent home is Stellenbosch, but for now it’s Montpellier in France. Soon it will be Paris, where the 2024 Olympics are being held.

It’s the first time Team SA are sending a women’s sevens rugby squad to an Olympics, having qualified, but withdrawn, from Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Better late than never though for a player who has racked up the most points as well in the green and gold.

Suggesting that Team SA’s women’s sevens team is going to be a surprise package and win a medal at these Olympics is stretching things too far.

But they could well surprise you with the level of their performances in Paris.

“We’re in a tough pool, we can’t dispute that. We have Australia in our pool, as well as Ireland and Great Britain. We’ve got a lot of strong ball runners and we’ve also assembled a squad that has got speed in it.

“Things will be tough, but we’re going to give it our best. Our message to our supporters back home will be that we’re going to be competitive and not leave anything out on the field.

“I don't think I can ask for more from the girls as co-captain.”

Simmers has travelled the world and is one of the first names on the team sheet.

Until recently Canada was her second favourite place to visit, but her experience at the Vancouver leg of the 2024 SVNS Series in February wasn’t a memorable one.

“There were some bad experiences, so in terms of that, I’d make Singapore my next favourite place outside SA.

“It might be a bit hot and humid, but it’s also clean and green and that appeals to me. It’s a bit like Stellenbosch in many respects.”

She started playing rugby just over a decade ago and was part of the Springbok 15-player version before switching to sevens.

Off the field, she enjoys reading, but is an avid rugby fan herself and is proud that she can represent a country at the Olympics which is the 15-man world champion.

“There’s a big difference between 15s and sevens. Everything is different. In 15s you’ve got the forwards and plenty of contact.

“In sevens, there’s only seven minutes a half, but there’s more stepping and stealing the ball. The fitness is a different kind of fitness,” she said.

Team SA