Girls from Queens High impress at rugby week under coach Xosana

Lindi Xosana, head coach of Queens High School’s women’s rugby team, shares her insights on the growing prominence of women in rugby.

She highlights the significance of the 2025 FNB U16 and U18 Girls Rugby Week, where eight of her players participated, showcasing their talent on a national stage.

Although Queens High School wasn’t competing directly, Xosana took pride in seeing her players’ hard work pay off, while cheering them on from the sidelines.

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Xosana, the mastermind behind Queens High School’s rugby programme, oversees three divisions (U14, U16, and U18).

Xosana’s own journey began when she was inspired to play rugby in 2014, eventually transitioning into a player-coach role.

Her passion and dedication have been instrumental in shaping the school’s rugby programme.

She took on the coaching role at Queens High School, and despite having limited knowledge of the sport, she learned on the job.

She taught herself and pursued coaching certifications—starting with her Level 1 certificate and now working towards Level 2.

Xosana has built a reputation in women’s rugby, coaching various teams, including Gauteng Women’s Rugby in Springs and Valke Women’s Rugby.

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She has produced talented players who have gone on to compete at a national level.

She highlights her success with the Gauteng Women’s Rugby Institute and Valke Women’s Rugby, stating, “When Covid-19 hit, I had already been invited to coach at the Gauteng Women’s Rugby Institute and with the Valke women’s team. In the Valke U20 squad, I also produced a Springbok player who went on to wear the national colours.”

Xosana has successfully coached all three Queens High School divisions since her return from Gauteng Women’s Rugby Institute in 2024.

She emphasises her advocacy for women’s rugby, stating, “As a coach, I fight for our spotlight as women in the rugby space.”

Queens High School hosted the Girls Rugby Week tournament, leveraging its multiple fields to manage the matches efficiently. U16 and U18 games ran concurrently.

Xosana recalls her return to Queens High School in 2024, where she was surprised by the number of girls who showed interest in joining the rugby team.

“I announced in the assembly that all girls who wanted to join the team should come to the sports ground after school to register. At that time, none of the players knew me, because I had left for a few years. Ninety girls showed up, wanting to register.”

Since then, she has produced talented players who have competed in the Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT), a platform that showcases young talent and provides a pathway to higher levels of rugby.

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Xosana also coaches the Raiders Rugby Club (women’s division), which competes in the Golden Lions Women’s League.

The team has delivered impressive performances, including a 102–7 win over Alberton Rugby Club (women’s).

They continue their strong record, with only one loss, a narrow 24-22 defeat to Pirates.

Xosana emphasises the need to improve fitness to compete with top teams like the University of Johannesburg. “Otherwise, we are confident that we will finish the league in top position if not first.”