Good news for the SPAR Proteas Netball Team is that they will play two official Test matches against New Zealand, ahead of the Netball World Cup in Sydney in August.
Netball South Africa (NSA) chief executive Blanche de la Guerre said New Zealand had approached NSA about playing the matches, and South Africa had jumped at the opportunity.
“New Zealand is one of the strongest teams in the world, and it will be an excellent experience for our players. It also means they have time to recover from jet lag and get acclimatised before the World Cup, which starts on August 7,” said De la Guerre.
The Tests will be played in Hamilton on 27 July, and in Auckland on 29 July. The Proteas will remain in New Zealand until 3 August, when they will fly to Sydney.
New Zealand is currently ranked second in the world, behind Australia. South Africa are ranked sixth.
“We see it as something of a compliment that they have invited us to play there,” said De La Guerre.
“We surprised them in 1995, so maybe they want to see what we can do,” she said. In 1995, South Africa beat New Zealand in the semifinal of the World Cup in Birmingham in England, and went on to win the silver medal, after losing to Australia in the final.
De La Guerre said the hosts would pay South Africa’s accommodation expenses while they were in New Zealand.
SPAR Proteas Squad at the European Netball Championship:
Lenize Potgieter – Gauteng North
Melissa Myburgh – Gauteng North
Maryka Holtzhausen – Mangaung Metro
Mari-Lena Joubert – Cape Winelands
Lauren-Lee Christians – Mangaung Metro
Erin Burger – Gauteng North
Izette Lubbe – Gauteng North
Precious Mthembu – Ilembe
Shadine van der Merwe – Gauteng North
Rochelle Lawson – Boland
Phumza Maweni – Cape Metropole
Adele Niemand – Mangaung Metro
Photo 1 caption: Exciting news from Belfast as Netball SA signs up for two invaluable official tests against world no. 2 Silver Ferns just before the 2015 Netball World Cup in Sydney, August. Pictured are (from left) Lauren-Lee Christians, Shadine van der Merwe, Rochelle Lawson, Izette Lubbe and Maryka Holtzhausen warming up at the SPAR Proteas departure training camp, ahead of the European Netball Champs. Photo: Supplied
(With editing by gsport)
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