Fresh from their successful tour of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the SPAR Proteas team will be heading to Namibia where they will be hoping to defend their title as African champions.
The South Africans won the title back in 2019 after a nine year absence from the tournament.
This tournament is very special for the coaching duo of Dorette Badenhorst and Dumisani Chauke, as this was their first assignment after being appointed as Head Coach and Assistant Coach, respectively, in October of 2019.
The 2021 Africa Netball Cup will be hosted in Namibia and competed by the likes of Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Opportune Timing following European Tour
Badenhorst who took a group of players to Ireland and Northern Ireland last month, has chosen eleven players from the pool she had then, and this tournament comes in at the opportune time for her and the players, as she is set to fine tune a team she will take to the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
“The Africa Netball Cup is another opportunity for us to get some game time. COVID taught us how to adapt, although a few of our starting line-up players are unavailable, as coaches we want to use every given opportunity to work on creating depth in the team and give more players an opportunity to play at this level.
“Playing in Africa is always a tough assignment and one can’t afford to underestimate any team.” – SPAR Proteas Head Coach Dorette Badenhorst
“Playing here at home is very different from playing in Europe, however I think we can take a lot from our recent tour, and play good disciplined netball in a very tough and physical environment,” said Badenhorst.
The chosen players departed for Namibia on Saturday, 6 November and the tournament will commence on the 9th.
“Tournaments like the Africa Netball Cup are very important, said Netball South Africa President, Cecilia Molokwane, “As they allow us as a nation to gauge ourselves against other African countries, and most importantly, we get to give our players game time especially ahead of the Commonwealth Games next year.
“I think the coaches are beginning to experience a different kind of headache, they now need to figure out who to play ahead of who because everyone who has been called up has really showed up.
“As a federation we wish the team well and know, as defending Africa champions we can never underestimate any opposition we play,” concluded Molokwane.
Broadcast schedule and fixtures will be made available across all our platforms as soon as they become available.
SPAR Proteas Squad for the African Netball Cup:
Defence:
Phumza Maweni
Simone Rabie
Monique Reyneke
Jamie van Wyk
Midcourt:
Khanyisa Chawane
Izette Griesel
Bongiwe Msomi (c)
Refiloe Nketsa
Shooters:
Jessica du Plessis
Lefébre Rademan
Elmeré van der Berg
Ine-Marí Venter
Photo 1 Caption: Fresh from their successful tour of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the SPAR Proteas team will be heading to Namibia where they will be hoping to defend their title as African champions. Photo: Supplied
With editing by gsport
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