JAMAICA Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts says the friendly international against South Africa will provide another test of character for his World Cup-bound Reggae Girlz.

In a two-match friendly series against Chile in Jamaica on Thursday and Sunday, the JFF boss noted that the repeated exhibition of guts and discipline by the Jamaicans gives him reason to believe that these qualities are becoming a feature of the team.

The Girlz were 1-0 winners in the first game against the South Americans at National Stadium, but in their true never-say-die spirit, they came from behind in Montego Bay for an exhilarating 3-2 to win.

Against South Africa, who have also qualified for the June 7-July 7 World Cup in France, Ricketts expects the Girlz to rise to the occasion in the April 7 showdown in Johannesburg.

“South Africa is a quality team based on what I have been able to gather, and it will no doubt be a challenge with the travel and acclimatising. But I know my Girlz will be up to it and they will make us proud, as they have done up to this point,” Ricketts told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

He said the contingent is expected to depart the island on Monday, April 1, play the game the following Sunday, then depart South Africa the next day.

Following the game against the 48th-ranked South Africa, the Girlz are then scheduled to take on Panama in another warm-up in Jamaica on May 19, before heading to Orlando for camp, prior to jetting off to Scotland for a matchup with the home team on May 28.

The Jamaicans were due to have a match in early June against Spain, but that game has been called off at the advice of the technical team, who were concerned with the possible physical and mental impact on the Girlz so close to their opening World Cup match against Brazil on June 9.

Looking back at the double triumph over 38th-ranked Chile, Ricketts said he was “very pleased”.

“The Girlz showed real character and composure…apart from my personal satisfaction, I get the impression the coaches were pretty satisfied,” he noted.

The JFF head says he would hate to be in the shoes of Head Coach Hue Menzies, who clearly will have a difficult job finalising his 23-member squad for France.

“He has a tough job ahead of him, as all these Girlz have shown the quality that they deserve to be in the squad… some new players have also come in and they have shown quality and demonstrated that they want to be considered seriously.

“But personally, over the last two games I think that young Jody Brown was outstanding, and what can I really say about Bunny (Khadija Shaw) and those who played around her,” noted Ricketts.

Jamaica, which became the first Caribbean country to qualify for the Fifa Women’s World Cup, will compete in Group C with Brazil, Italy and Australia.

South Africa, meantime, will do battle with Germany, Spain and China in Group B.