Desiree Ellis Backs Refiloe Jane to Keep Delivering for Banyana Banyana

Desiree Ellis is standing by veteran midfielder Refiloe Jane as Banyana Banyana prepare for the 2027 Women’s World Cup play-offs, saying the player’s age should not outweigh what she can still contribute to the team. Jane, 34, is expected to bring experience to South Africa’s campaign against Chinese Taipei, Ecuador and Uzbekistan. The preliminary stage is scheduled for November 28 to December 5 at football facilities in Rabat and Salé, Morocco, with the final phase set for February next year. South Africa must take the play-off route after failing to reach the semi-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which meant the team missed automatic qualification for the tournament in Brazil. Ellis announced her squad at the SABC studios in Auckland Park and said Jane remains a valuable option. “Fifi still has quality,” Ellis said, according to the report. She argued that a player’s age should not be treated as an automatic signal that their international career is over, pointing to former Banyana forward Noko Matlou, who represented the national side until she was 39. Ellis said Jane had performed well on set-pieces at the previous Wafcon and stressed that experience matters only when it is matched by a contribution on the pitch. In her view, Jane continues to add value to the squad. The coach also cautioned against underestimating the play-off opponents. She noted that Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan have faced strong opposition in Asia, while Ecuador recently competed in South American play-offs, drawing with Chile and losing to Argentina. Ellis said Banyana would approach all three teams seriously, with qualification at stake.