Micke Gunter’s first Test was short-lived – she had to leave the field on a stretcher only minutes in against Kenya in Stellenbosch in 2021 – but the determined player never gave up and has since featured in Rugby World Cup tournaments in England (2022) and New Zealand (2025). Gunter, who holds a Sports Science degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a post graduate certificate in education from Stellenbosch University, is a star hooker who can also operate at flanker thanks to her ball stealing abilities.