Aseza Hele's rise helps South Africa into Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-finals

Aseza Hele scored a hat-trick against Brazil and added a try in South Africa's 29-24 victory over Italy that sent the Springbok Women into the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the team's history.

The 30-year-old number eight, who described rugby as life-changing, produced one of the tournament's standout performances as South Africa upset seedings to reach the last eight. South Africa, ranked 10th in the world, will face defending champions New Zealand in Exeter on Saturday, Sept. 13.

Hele grew up in Port Elizabeth and said she was raised by her grandmother. She only began playing rugby in 2014 after attending a training session to keep fit for netball; an injury left an extra player short and she was told to "just go forward." A first Springbok cap followed five years later, and Hele made her first World Cup appearance in 2022.

"Rugby has changed my life," Hele said. "I am the person I am today because of where I came from and the choices I made. Now, I'm able to feed my family because of rugby. I have my car because of rugby. My first flight was because of rugby. I didn't even dream of this, and now I'm playing with the big dogs, and I am the underdog."

Hele recounted a poignant encounter after South Africa's final pool game against France in Northampton, when a young boy from England asked to swap jerseys. "I didn't swap with any of the French girls because I had kept my shirt for him," she said. "When I got there, he was waiting and smiling. That really warmed my heart. I thought 'Aseza, you are doing good.'"

South Africa's run to the quarter-finals came despite the women's game in the country operating with a smaller player pool and far less investment than the men's side. The Springbok Women have been boosted by visible support from men's team captain Siya Kolisi, who has attended matches and training and used social media to encourage attendance and attention for the women's fixtures.

"He's the warmest and nicest person ever. He cares about us and wants us to have what they have," Hele said of Kolisi. "What he has, he likes to share. He's sharing the love from his family with us so we can do well. His support has been massive for us. People came because he called them out on social media. From the bottom of our hearts, we love and appreciate him so much."

South Africa's quarter-final draw is daunting: New Zealand, four-time world champions, enter the match on the back of a 40-0 win over Ireland and are pursuing a third straight World Cup title. The fixture at Sandy Park in Exeter is scheduled for 13:00 BST and will be shown live on BBC Two and iPlayer from 12:30 BST.

Hele, who previously worked as a cashier, said the team's primary goal was simply to reach the quarter-finals. "The only goal we had as a team was to make the quarters, so at least we ticked that box," she said. "We didn't fail our people or ourselves, and we made ourselves proud, that is the most important thing. They are the big dogs, and we are the underdogs. Anything can happen. A miracle can happen."

Her performance against Brazil, a side making its World Cup debut, and her match-winning contribution against Italy in York have made Hele one of the tournament's more visible faces and a source of inspiration for supporters in South Africa and beyond. Coaches and teammates credited her physical running and finishing ability, while Hele downplayed the hard-hitting images, saying off the pitch she is a "sweetheart."

South Africa's progress underlines the rapid development of the women's game in nations where structural and financial support has lagged behind established powers. The Springbok Women now face the challenge of translating belief and momentum into a result against a New Zealand side with a long history of World Cup success. The team and Hele will travel to Exeter to prepare for the quarter-final as they attempt to extend their best-ever showing at the global tournament.