Refiloe Jane leads experienced Banyana Banyana at second WWC driven by unity

Jane will become only the second player to lead the South African women’s national football team at the World Cup after Janine Van Wyk captained Banyana in France in 2019. 

This Banyana team is blessed with experience, from veteran campaigner Noko Matlou, Andile Dlamini, Jermain Seoposenwe, and Thembi Kgatlana. 

Jane says unity is also the strength of this Desiree Ellis’ side.

"We've got a mixture of players in the team. With the new ones they don't know what to expect. So, they are all learning from what we tell them, the experiences that we gathered from the previous tournaments," Jane said.

"So, it's up to the seniors and the players who have that experience to share it with the young ones. To try and keep them calm, to try and prepare them mentally also. We are all working together as a team, everything will be a team collective and I think that's the strength of this team, the unity."

Banyana open their WWC campaign Down Under against the top-ranked team in the group Sweden (3rd) on the 23rd of this month and five days later they lock horns with Argentina (28th), before closing against Italy (18th) on the 2nd of August. Banyana come to this tournament ranked 54th, but Jane like many is starting to believe that the African Champions can fight for the knockout stages from this group.

"The belief is there, looking at the quality that we have in the team and also the experience. We've got what it takes to advance to the next round which is our main objective as a team and then from there, the ball is round, anything can happen," Jane added.

Jane has spent the past four to five years in the Italian Serie A Feminino, first with AC Milan and now at Sassuolo. The fixture against Italy could be the decisive game for the passage into the next round but the midfield supremo is also emphasizing the importance of the results in the two games before that last match.

"I know quite a lot about them [Italy], I play in the league. I think it's my fourth season now and I've played with and against some of the players in the national team. I know quite a lot about them, so, I hope my insight and input to the national team will be a valuable one," she explained.

"I know we've got an opposition analysis that's very experienced that will help us to get into details when we get there but the focus is not just on Italy. We still have to get past Sweden then Argentina then Italy."