Springbok women’s star Jakkie Cilliers is heading overseas, and she is not holding back her excitement. The Izuzu Bulls Daisies playmaker has been snapped up by Toulon in France, becoming one of the few South African women to crack the lucrative overseas market.
“I’m really excited, and it’s quite a good, big step, but it’s something that I really wanted to do for such a long time,” Cilliers said. “I think when I started playing rugby, even, this was already something I dreamed of. Now I get a chance to go over, so I’m really excited.”
Breaking new ground
Cilliers is well aware of her role as something of a trailblazer. “People have a misperception of what is actually going on in women’s rugby, how difficult it is to go overseas,” she said. “But if you get the chance, then either you take it with both hands, or you just keep on playing it out.”
Beyond the rugby, she is embracing the adventure that comes with the move. “I’m really excited to just play in a different environment, to see how they do things outside, to be with other international players and see what they can bring.”
A kicker in the making
Cilliers has built a reputation as one of the Springboks’ most composed place kickers, a skill she says comes down to mental discipline rather than natural talent alone. She recalled a tight match against Spain that shaped her approach. “We got a penalty in their half and I needed to kick it over. In that moment, I didn’t really think about the score, I just focused on my process and then I kicked it over. From there on, I just focus on the process that I have and trust that.”
It is that exact skill set that has caught Toulon’s eye. “They want to develop the kicking, and they need the skills from a certain person,” Cilliers explained. “The scout said I have a really good technique and I can bring that to the team, so I’m really excited to test it out.”
Raised on a farm in the Free State, Cilliers traces her resilience back to those early years. “When we had our December vacation, we would run five to six kilometres in the early morning, my mom would drive behind us in the car. That started at a really young age,” she said. “Being able to wake up on a farm and help your dad out, that also helps you to work hard.”
The Pretoria effect
Cilliers credits the Isuzu Bulls Daisies, South Africa’s first fully professional women’s rugby team, with accelerating her rise. “Having a set-up where you can actually go out every day and have a full programme, I think we take that for granted,” she said. “That helped in developing skill, and obviously the coaching we got from them was quite good. I think the Daisies are ahead of every other club in having that professional set-up every day.”
Carrying the torch for women’s rugby
As one of the sport’s most recognisable faces in South Africa, Cilliers accepts the responsibility that comes with visibility. “It’s quite nice to know that there are people out there that know you,” she said. “But there are still people who have an opinion about women playing rugby, how it’s completely different from men’s rugby. I try to change that by just being the role model that I want to be for younger kids, for the younger girls out there.”
Looking at the bigger picture, she believes financial backing and quality coaching remain the two biggest barriers to unlocking more talent like her own. “If we can get financial support to other clubs, that can help our rugby in South Africa,” she said. “Coaching comes with it too, because if you don’t have the right coach, you’re never going to know what to do and how to do it.”
On whether public perception has shifted, Cilliers is cautiously optimistic. “There’s a lot that changed over the years,” she said. “If you kept on watching our games, even though we lost, you can still see the difference. After the World Cup there was just a big shift. People can feel that they’re part of us, because not only did they see the change, they felt it.”
Highlights and history
Asked to reflect on her career so far, Cilliers pointed to a special moment against Canada. “That was my first try against an international team,” she said. “It was quite special because then I saw, okay, you can actually compete against a bigger team. They have a great side, Canada. It’s a try I will forever remember.”
Nerves, French lessons and a green light from the Boks
The move to the south of France brings its own challenges, not least the language barrier. “I’m starting to learn French on Duolingo,” Cilliers laughed. “It’s quite difficult sometimes, especially the pronunciation of the R in the back of the throat. But I’m really comfortable with the decision that I’ve made, so I’m really excited in the same sentence.”
Crucially, the move does not spell the end of her Springbok career. “I had a chat with Swys [De Bruin], and he said it’s a green light. They’re quite keen on having players overseas, because you learn a lot more and you can bring it home.”
At 25, with 26 Test caps to her name, Cilliers heads to Toulon with the Springbok door firmly open, and a clear eye on returning home a better player.
