The Baby Spar South Africa outfit zoomed out of the starting blocks with devastating wins over Tanzania and Zambia on Day 1 of the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 Qualifiers Africa being played at the University of Pretoria’s Rembrandt Hall from 18 – 23 March, 2024.
The SA U21 team have their eyes on qualification for the Netball Youth World Cup in Gibraltar later this year, and the recently-announced squad are in the hands of newly-appointed Head Coach Precious Mthembu, together with Phumza Maweni, for the duo’s first assignment on the international stage.
South Africa last played at the Netball World Youth Cup some eight years ago and this is an opportunity for them to make a return there again come next year September in Gibraltar. The Baby Proteas opened the first match day with an encounter against Tanzania.
The team was playing for the very first time together today since they were assembled – it was the hosts who were very quick to send a clear message to their opponents as soon as the whistle went off. The Baby Proteas restricted Tanzania to only scoring seven goals over an entire match while they put 75 past them.
The win for South Africa for the host was a great confidence booster ahead of their second match of the match against Zambia to close off first day of play, and with many excellent choices on offer, the difficult choice of who would be unveiled as the match’s MVP was decided when Sanmarie Visser was voted Player of the Match.
Second match of the day was a battle between Kenya and Zimbabwe, with both teams also seeking to secure their seat at next year’s Netball World Youth Cup. Unlike the first match, this was a bit more competitive with both teams going at each other, with Zimbabwe coming up tops to win their first match 49 – 39.
Malawi squared off against Namibia in the third match of the day. It was Malawi who was the stronger of the two sides on the opening day, thrashing their Namibian counterparts 43 – 28 for a comfortable win.
After the official opening ceremony of the tournament, attended by government dignitaries at municipality and provincial level, the final match of the day saw hosts South Africa take on Zambia in the day’s top-billing fixture..
Coach Precious made a few changes to her starting seven and to allow some of the players who didn’t play in the earlier fixture a starting run, and the hosting team got out of the starting blocks very quickly to convert their chances as early as possible in the match.
Zambia was only allowed to open their scoring after four minutes – such was the home defence and discipline that kept Zambia at bay and, at the end of the first quarter, South Africa had of lead of 23 – 4.
There was no let up in the second quarter they had extended their lead to 35 to Zambia’s 7, and at the end of the match, it was the Baby Proteas that came out out as outright victors, winning the match 72 – 9.
Day 1 Results at the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 Qualifiers Africa played at the University of Pretoria’s Rembrandt Hall in Pretoria, South Africa, from 18 – 23 March, 2024
South Africa 75 – 7 Tanzania
Kenya 39 – 49 Zimbabwe
Malawi 43 – 28 Namibia
South Africa 72 – 9 Zambia
Netball World Youth Cup 2025 Qualifiers Africa Fixtures for Monday, 18 March
08:00 Namibia v Tanzania
10:00 Zambia v Zimbabwe
16:00 Zimbabwe v South Africa
18:00 Tanzania v Zambia
The South Africa Under 21 Squad
Giada Prinsloo
Sunel Smit
Jade Nkureka Egwatu
Favour Kamsy Umeh
Phophi Luvhani Nematangari
Sanmari Louise Visser
Zané Bodenstein
Kyla Dames
Reratilwe Letsoalo
Karla Maria Victor
Maria Magaritha du Raan
Lisa Ingwersen
Renezia Andrews
Jade Morgan Atkins
Olukemi Amarachi Agbai
Syntiche Kabuya
Original Copy: Netball SA, with editing by gsport
Photo Caption: The U21 South Africa Netball team zoomed out of the starting blocks with devastating wins over Tanzania and Zambia on Day 1 of the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 Qualifiers Africa played at the Rembrandt Hall in Pretoria from 18 – 23 March, 2024. Photo: Supplied
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