The dominance of the world’s best four netball teams in International play was aptly demonstrated on Thursday, as the quarter-finals of the 2007 Netball World Championships all finished well in favour of the top-ranked semi-final contestants.
Following a day’s rest, England opened the day’s quarter-finals clashes with a convincing 81-37 win over Malawi to challenge Australia, who emerged comfortable 90-22 victors over the Cook Island, while Jamaica emphasised their third-place ranking with a 73-42 win over Samoa.
In the final play of the day at the Trusts Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand, world no.5-ranked South Africa stepped up to the plate against the hosts for their fourth encounter at the tournament, well aware of the challenge lying ahead.
And as with the other three final-eight matches played on Thursday, the Proteas were dealt a lesson in netball, going down 82-23 to the reigning world champions, but have emerged from the World Championships assured a place in the top eight.
This result now obliges the team to confirm their existing hold on the fifth-placed ranking in the global game, and begin that effort in their play-off against Samoa, who made Jamaica work for their Thursday win in the clash of the islanders.
Samoa is currently ranked one place below South Africa, and will welcome the opportunity to improve in what will effectively be a home encounter, and the Proteas will be assured a stern test.
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