Spar Proteas coach, Norma Plummer finally broke the suspense, as she announced the final squad for the much-anticipated 2023 Vitality Netball World Cup on Friday, 19 May 2023.
This comes three weeks after the Telkom Netball League (TNL) Power Week wrapped up in Polokwane and with another series of TNL ahead, the Spar Proteas will use the remainder of the league as preparation for the global showpiece.
Leading up to this selection, the players have faced various tests over the past few months starting with the Quad Series that took place in January. Followed by a series of training camps and most notably, the TNL – which a majority of the squad is taking part in for their respective domestic teams.
The selected squad features Free State Crinums’ Refiloe Nketsa, who has received constant call ups for national duty. Nketsa was part of the 15 that made the Spar Diamond Challenge last year and the Quad Series earlier this year.
“I stand a chance of making a big name and literally to stay constant in my game and duty by my country and for my country, so once again it is a huge honour to be recognised amongst the big players and the best players in the country,” Nketsa said after her call up.
During the recent Power Week, Nketsa was awarded Player of the Match twice and believes being in TNL has served a huge impact on her performance.
“It has served as pathway in my games evolving and me becoming better at it, and it is preparing me for the competitiveness that lies ahead for the World Cup,” she added.
“Obviously playing the league now is preparing us for the intensity that is lying ahead. So as we also progress, heading into the semis and finals we will also be much higher and our intensity will then be matched up with the world cup teams that will be playing against us.”
Fireballs’ Owethu Ngubane, has also had her fair share of game time on the international stage when she got her call up for the Quad Series. As a player who has been included to play in TNL, she added that the league is a great way to increase game time before the World Cup.
“TNL helps with more game time and getting the shots up.”
The goal shooter added that the league enhances on her fitness level, “It also gets my fitness up and improving my overall performance.”
Unlike Nketsa and Ngubane, Southern Stings’ Nicola Smith received her first call up after missing out on the Quad Series due to injury.
“Being back on court after seven months with an injury was quite stressful, but I am very proud of myself and proud of the girls that have been selected and can’t wait for the journey that is coming up,” Smith said.
With TNL yet to conclude, majority of the players will return to their respective domestic teams for the remainder of the league before the Spar Proteas touch base in Cape Town for the final preparations of the World Cup.
Photo 1 Caption: The official 15-player Spar Proteas squad pictured at SuperSport Studios in Randburg, Johannesburg on Friday, 19 May 2023. Photo: gsport / Karabo Peter
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