Die hard Springbok fans will descend on Japan later this month for the Rugby World Cup 2019. Kick off takes place in Tokyo on September 20 and, while many will be studying fixtures and scores, others will be far more interested in the WAGs cheering from the sidelines.
If you’re new to the WAG-spotting game, we’ve rounded up a list of wives and girlfriends who should bring some excitement off the field.
Alana Raffie (@lanamarieewilli)
This will be New Zealand player Sonny Bill Williams’ third World Cup and chances are that wife Alana Raffie will be joining him. A former model said to be of South African decent, Raffie married her Prince Charming at age 20.
The two kept their marriage under wraps after dating for six months in 2014 and are now have three children.
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A post shared by Sonny Bill Williams(@sonnybillwilliams) on Dec 10, 2018 at 8:50pm PST
According to various reports, she worked as a professional dancer in a Brazilian nightclub before tying the knot. Suffice to say, Raffie keeps a low profile on social media and fans rarely get to see her on Williams’ Instagram account.
Rachel Kolisi (@rachel_kolisi)
You can’t mention World Cup WAGs without Rachel Kolisi being on the list. The wife of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has earned quite a reputation for dragging other women “thirsting” after her man on social media.
The two have now been married for three years and unfortunately, because of Kolisi’s celebrity status, their marriage has been rocked by rumours and hearsay. Just recently, Rachel was nominated for a Drama Queen award at annual Feather Awards. No word yet if she’s had anything to say about the nomination.
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A post shared by Rachel Kolisi(@rachel_kolisi) on Sep 1, 2019 at 5:15am PDT
Don’t discount her as the woman behind the man. Rachel is co-founder of Rise, an organisation that looks at women’s overall wellbeing and fitness in a holistic way.
Layla Cupido (@layla_kolbe)
When Cheslin Kolbe and fiancé Layla Cupido tied the knot in January last year, their stunning summer wedding was featured on Top Billing. Throughout his rugby career, Cupido has been the driving force behind the fullback player - which explains his heartfelt proposal straight after the Stomers’ victory over the Boland Cavaliers.
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A post shared by Layla Cupido Kolbe(@layla_kolbe) on Jul 18, 2018 at 3:32am PDT
The Chartered Accountancy graduate moved with Kolbe to the south-west of France and they seem to be settling in well with their daughter Kylah. With an Instagram following of 15.4K followers, Cupido constantly updates their fans on the family’s latest adventures.
Kate Howard
Very little is known of the pretty girlfriend of Australia captain Michael Hooper. But what we do know is that Kate Howard has been by her man’s side since he made his international debut for the Wallabies - coming off the bench (in the 65th minute) against Scotland in Newcastle in June, 2012.
Jess Portman (@jessportman_)
Fashion promotion student Jess Portman has been with the England fly half George Ford for more than three years. The stunner’s Instagram feed is curated to show off her online store Portman London - a calculated move on her part - thanks to her business marketing degree.
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A post shared by Jess Portman(@jessportman_) on Aug 27, 2019 at 12:53pm PDT
Kuziva Makore (@kuzybaby1)
Tendai Beast Mtawarira’s mother first noticed Kuziva Makore singing in church, and promptly gave Makore her son’s number. What followed was a three-month courtship taking place over the phone.
The two tied the knot in 2015. The star-studded guest list included Mtawarira’s Springbok teammates.
Their daughter Talumba and son Wangu were born and raised in Durban but were given Zambian names to honour both Mtawarira and Makore’s heritage. Makore seems to be carving out a career of her own - she’s a voice-over artist and personal shopper.