SA Rugby has paid tribute to former Springbok Women captain Lusanda Dumke, who died in East London in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Dumke was 29 and had been battling a rare gastric cancer.
“Lusanda will be remembered not only as a former captain of our Springbok Women’s team, but also as a symbol of courage, leadership and resilience far beyond her years,” said SA Rugby president Mark Alexander.
A decorated loose forward, Dumke was SA Rugby’s Women’s Rugby Player of the Year in 2022, played 33 Tests and captained South Africa three times. She also represented the Springbok Women’s Sevens team.
“She played the game with heart and humility, always giving everything she had for her team,” said Alexander. “Her work ethic, toughness, and selfless commitment set the standard, and she led by example every time she stepped onto the field.”
Born on 11 September 1996, Dumke made her provincial debut for the Border Ladies in 2015 as an 18-year-old. Her Test debut followed three years later, in 2018 against Wales in Cardiff.
She became a regular fixture in the Bok Women’s team and captained the side for the first time in 2021, against Kenya in a two-Test series in Stellenbosch. She also captained them against Australia in 2024.
In 2022, Dumke was a member of the Bok Women squad that participated in the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, where she played in all three pool matches against France, Fiji and England. Her last Test was against Italy in Cape Town in 2024. She scored 10 Test tries.
Dumke’s skills and vision made her a natural fit for sevens rugby, and she represented the Springbok Women’s Sevens team in Cape Town in 2019 and 2022.
At provincial level, Dumke captained Border as well as the Bulls Daisies to provincial titles.
Dumke served as captain of the Daisies from the franchise’s inception in 2023, leading the team to a historic three consecutive Women’s Premier Division titles, including the 2025 championship. She made 31 appearances for the Daisies during her tenure.
“Lusanda was more than a captain; she was the heartbeat of our Daisies team and a true inspiration to everyone at the Bulls and in South African sport,” said Bulls head of high performance and special projects Thando Manana. “To achieve what she did by the age of 28, leading a team to a three-peat and captaining her country, is simply phenomenal.
“Her fight against cancer mirrored her toughness on the field; she fought till the end. Her legacy of resilience and success will forever define this era of women’s rugby in South Africa. We have lost a precious, rare gem, and our thoughts are with her family.”
