There is something almost cinematic about how Libbie Janse van Rensburg found rugby. Not through packed stadiums or childhood dreams of wearing the green and gold, but through a simple invitation and the promise of a trip to Paris. Two weeks before departing, the former touch rugby player from University of Pretoria was approached by a sevens coach and asked to join the squad. She had never played a contact game before.
“I thought, Paris sounds great,” she laughs.
What started as an opportunity to travel quickly became the beginning of a remarkable rugby journey that would eventually see her wear the Springbok jersey on the world stage.
Before rugby became her profession, Libbie had already built an impressive sporting background in touch rugby. She represented provincial teams at both junior and senior level and even played alongside a men’s B team when there was no women’s side available. Her talent eventually earned her a place at a Touch Rugby World Cup.
Yet despite her growing rugby career, the reality of becoming a full time professional athlete in women’s rugby was never straightforward.
“To be honest, I only thought rugby could be my career a year prior to the last World Cup,” she says. “Although we had contracts, I was not in a position to leave my job and rely solely on rugby.”
Building More Than Just a Career
For years, Libbie balanced rugby with her role as programme coordinator for women’s rugby at TuksRugby. While pursuing her own ambitions on the field, she also played an important role in helping build opportunities for the next generation of female players.
“When I started at Tuks, the women’s XV programme was merely a dream,” she explains. “Now the club is in a place where the girls receive similar treatment as the men, with bursaries, a high performance environment and a team competing in the Women’s Varsity Cup.”
Her careful and calculated approach to life beyond rugby has always been intentional. Libbie completed her studies and worked for five years before eventually deciding to commit to rugby full-time. Even now, she remains focused on creating opportunities beyond her playing career.
“I’ve always reminded myself that there is still life after rugby,” she says. “I’ve tried to position myself in such a way that I have something to look forward to when my rugby career ends.”
Behind every athlete’s success story is usually someone who helped shape the journey and for Libbie, that person was her aunt.
“My aunt played the biggest role in shaping my journey to becoming a Springbok,” she says.
The Magic of Green and Gold
That journey eventually led to one of the proudest moments of her life: wearing the Springbok jersey.
“Wearing the Springbok jersey is a rare gift and an opportunity I never take for granted,” she says. “Wearing the green and gold feels like when you are a kid experiencing candyfloss for the first time. It’s magical.”
Her experiences at the 2025 Rugby World Cup only deepened that appreciation. While the tournament brought personal growth and unforgettable memories, one moment stands out above the rest.
“Definitely beating Italy to secure our quarter-final spot,” she says.
Looking back on the tournament, Libbie believes the pressure and intensity of a World Cup environment taught her valuable lessons about composure, preparation and trust.
“You go into a tournament like that hoping to contribute, but when things click personally and collectively, it becomes something really special,” she says. “The biggest takeaway for me was learning to trust my preparation, my teammates and the system we were playing.”
Giving Women’s Rugby a Bigger Voice
Away from the field, Libbie has now stepped into another exciting chapter with the launch of the “Too Blessed To Be Stressed” podcast alongside close friend and former teammate Rumandi Potgieter.
The idea had been floating around for years before the pair finally decided to commit to it. “We’ve spoken about starting a podcast for a couple of years, mostly as a joke, and this year we just said, ‘OK, let’s do this,’” she says.
Inspired by the success of player-led podcasts in the men’s game, the duo saw an opportunity to tell stories from within women’s rugby and offer supporters a more personal look into their lives.
“The goal is to give people an inside look at who we are off the field and educate people on what it’s really like behind the scenes but, most importantly, to have fun with it.”
The chemistry between the two hosts is evident both on and off the field, something Libbie believes comes naturally because of their friendship.
“Rumandi is not just a former teammate but also one of my really good friends,” she says. “We’ve been close friends since before our rugby journeys started.”
Balancing rugby and podcasting has not come without challenges. Between training camps, travel and matches, finding time to record episodes can be difficult, but the pair remain committed to growing the platform.
“Our schedules are really busy, so when we can, we try to pre-record a lot of our episodes,” she says.
Leaving a Lasting Legacy
As for what drives her every day, Libbie keeps it simple. “Hard work beats talent.”
Supported by family and friends and fuelled by the dream of wearing green and gold “again and again and again”, Libbie continues to build a career defined not only by performances on the field but also by purpose beyond it.
Whether it is helping shape women’s rugby structures, representing South Africa on the world stage, or opening up conversations through her podcast, one thing is clear: Libbie Janse van Rensburg is determined to leave the game in a better place than she found it.
