Playing their best netball ever, the Spar Proteas will be tested to the fullest when they arrive for the 2019 World Cup.
The Netball World Cup (NWC) starts on July 12 and ends on July 21 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Since the last NWC in Sydney in 2015, the Spar Proteas have gone from strength to strength, posing a threat to most of the top teams in the world. This year they have the best chance to advance to the final rounds and rake in a medal for their efforts. In 1995 they won the silver medal.
Head coach Norma Plummer said: “The Spar Proteas showed tremendous growth since I started coaching them shortly before the NWC in Sydney in 2015.”
She said she was quietly confident that they could win a medal.
“The Quad Series (against Australia, New Zealand and England) has been extremely important in helping them to learn to play in pressure situations. In January, we beat England and then went on to take New Zealand to extra time,” she said.
“They have learnt to deal with pressure and handle uncomfortable situations.”
Plummer said that a number of players have been playing in professional leagues in New Zealand, Australia and England, and this meant that they were used to dealing with pressure situations week after week.
“We have six players in the Suncorp League in Australia, which is the most competitive league in the world. Karla Pretorius and Phumza Maweni have been playing together for the Sunshine Coast Lightning and have developed into the best all-defensive unit in the competition.
“The players who have played overseas have been training every day and playing against some of the best players in the world. They know they don’t have to stand back for anybody,” she said.
“There are five countries that can make it to the top and we are one of them.”
Spar Proteas captain Bongi Msomi said the team is very excited about going to a Netball World Cup where they believe they have a chance of doing well.
“We know that we are going to be competitive and we are going for a medal,” she said.
“The game against New Zealand in January has given us a lot of confidence.”
Plummer said South Africa is in the toughest group, but she believes that they will do well.
“Our third match is against third-ranked Jamaica, who could be a challenge. Although they beat us at the Commonwealth Games last year, we have been hit by injuries and they definitely didn’t have things all their own way,” she said.
The Spar Proteas fly to the UK on June 27 and go straight to Wales, where they will attend a training camp before playing two rests against Wales.
“The Wales series is very important,” said Plummer.
“It gives me a chance to assess the players and see what we need to work on, and it also gives the players some match time ahead of the world cup.”
Plummer said she was under no pressure from Netball South Africa to select a team according to quotas.
“This is the best possible team. I look for talent and these players are all very gifted.”
