By Ikey Tigers Media
June 2026
The UCT Ikey Tigers have long been a breeding ground for rugby excellence, but Dr. Insaaf Levy has completely redefined what it means to balance elite sport with elite academics.
After officially wrapping up her medical degree at the University of Cape Town, Dr. Levy did what few thought possible, she conquered the rugby world while managing the intense demands of her medical studies. That journey hit a historic milestone when she earned her call-up to the senior Springbok Women’s squad for the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Kenya, officially making her international debut in green and gold.
With her debut now proudly in the history books, she is a capped Springbok international ANDthe first qualified medical doctor to represent the senior Springbok Women’s side.
A Royal Rugby Lineage
For those who follow Cape rugby, the surname Levy carries immense weight. Insaaf is stitched directly into the fabric of Western Cape rugby history. She is the daughter of the highly respected Stormers skills coach and Stormers XXIII head coach, Labeeb Levy, and the granddaughter of the late Sedick Sieed, a legendary figure in Cape rugby circles during the Saru era.
Inside the Levy household, rugby wasn’t just a sport; it was a lifestyle. From the age of seven, Insaaf was absorbing the nuances of the game. Her exceptional passing game, now widely considered one of her sharpest assets on the international stage, was forged through sheer dedication. After dinner, her father would challenge her to throw 500 passes, left and right, before she could do anything else.
Those thousands of repetitions built the foundation of an incredibly versatile athlete. Before even finishing high school, she represented South Africa at both the Youth and Senior Touch Rugby World Cups. She later brought her lethal spatial awareness and quick feet to the netball court, representing the Western Province U21 side, all while tackling her brutal UCT medical school schedule.
The Ultimate Double Shift
Balancing life as an elite athlete is hard enough; balancing it with a medical degree at UCT is a different beast entirely. Yet, Insaaf navigated the grueling hours of lectures, clinical rotations, and training sessions with the same poise she displays when guiding her forwards around a five-meter scrum.
Springbok Women’s head coach Swys de Bruin noted exactly what makes the Ikey trailblazer such a vital asset to the national setup:
“Insaaf earned this opportunity through consistency, game understanding, and work ethic. She reads space very well; she has a calm temperament under pressure and her decision-making around the breakdown impressed us throughout the season.”
Now that she has transitioned from a rising star to an established international player, Dr. Levy is using her platform to inspire the next generation of young women in sport, proving that you never have to choose between your intellectual ambitions and your sporting dreams.
At just 23 years old, Dr. Insaaf Levy has already carved out a flawless legacy. Whether she is serving the ball from the base of a roaring ruck or serving her community as a medical doctor, she embodies the exact grit, intelligence, and heart that the Ikey Tigers pride themselves on.
Once an Ikey, always a Tiger.
