Dies at 29 After battle with Rare Cancer
CCN Editor – George April
East London:- Lusanda Dumke, the former captain of South Africa’s Springbok Women’s rugby team and a pioneering force in the sport, has died at the age of 29.
This after a courageous fight against a rare form of gastric cancer.
Dumke passed away in her hometown of East London in the early hours of this Tuesday morning, according to statements from SA Rugby and the Blue Bulls Company, which owns her club team, the Isuzu Bulls Daisies.
“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 Thando Manana, head of high performance and special projects at the Blue Bulls Company. “Her fight against cancer mirrored her toughness on the field; she fought till the end.”
SA Rugby President Mark Alexander described Dumke as “a symbol of courage, leadership, and resilience far beyond her years.”
“To achieve what she did by the age of 28, leading a team to a three-peat and captaining her country, is simply phenomenal,” Manana added.
Dumke’s rise in rugby was nothing short of remarkable.
Born on September 11, 1996, she debuted provincially for the Border Ladies at just 18 in 2015. Her powerful ball-carrying as a loose forward and relentless work rate quickly caught the eye of national selectors.
She earned her first Springbok Women’s cap in 2018 against Wales and went on to play 33 Tests, scoring 10 tries. Dumke captained South Africa on three occasions, including notable matches against Kenya, Australia, and others.
In 2022, she was named SA Rugby Women’s Player of the Year, a testament to her dominance during the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, where she started in all three pool games against powerhouses France, Fiji, and England.
At club level, Dumke was instrumental in elevating women’s rugby in South Africa. As captain of the Bulls Daisies from the franchise’s inception in 2023, she led them to three consecutive Women’s Premier Division titles, including the 2025 championship. She also represented the Springbok Women’s Sevens team.
Her final Test appearance came in 2024 against Italy in the WXV 2 tournament in Cape Town. In August 2025, Dumke stepped away from the game citing health concerns, later revealed to be her diagnosis with the rare gastric cancer.
Tributes poured in from across the rugby world.
Springboks men’s captain Siya Kolisi shared a heartfelt message on social media, while Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie called her “a leader who carried the hopes of her teammates and the pride of her nation.”
“Losing someone so young to cancer is heartbreaking,”
Alexander said in SA Rugby’s official statement. “Our thoughts are with all who loved and supported her through this journey.”
Dumke’s story resonated far beyond the pitch. Growing up in the Eastern Cape, she overcame personal hardships to become a role model for young women in townships and rural areas, proving that grit and determination could break barriers in a male-dominated sport.
As news of her passing spread, fans and former teammates remembered her trademark smile, selfless play, and quiet leadership. “She played the game with heart and humility, always giving everything she had for her team,” Alexander noted.
Dumke is survived by her family and a rugby community forever changed by her presence. Her legacy, one of unbreakable spirit on and off the field, will continue to inspire generations of South African athletes.
May her soul rest in peace.
