Proteas

Latest sports news: Bongiwe Msomi of South Africa looks omn during preliminaries stage one match between Jamaica and South Africa at at M&S Bank Arena on July 14, 2019 in Liverpool, England. Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

Proteas name strong squad for the Africa Netball Cup

CAPE TOWN, October 11 (ANA) – Following the appointment of Dorette Badenhorst and Dumisani Chauke as both coach and assistant coach of the Proteas netball team, the duo’s first assignment is competing at the 2019 Africa Netball Cup that will be staged at the Velodrome in Cape Town from 18-22 October.

Proteas

Latest sports news: Bongiwe Msomi of South Africa looks omn during preliminaries stage one match between Jamaica and South Africa at at M&S Bank Arena on July 14, 2019 in Liverpool, England. Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

Dorette Badenhorst has named the first squad of her tenure as the Proteas Netball coach ahead of the Africa Netball Cup.

Badenhorst and her assistant Dumisani Chauke will have their work cut out for them in what is expected to be a hotly contested tournament.

Africa Netball Cup squad announced 

The Africa Netball Cup is the first tournament for the Proteas since their impressive showing at the Netball World Cup where they finished fourth. The Proteas ran the World’s best close in the latter stages of the competition and very nearly emulated their best ever effort.

The Cup will be a good test for the newly-appointed coaching staff who will use this as a preparation for the series against England in November. The new coach will have some big boots to fill after the departure of Netball legend Norma Plummer following the NWC.

Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi will join the Proteas for the Cup which will be contested at the Velodrome in Cape Town.

South Africa Proteas
Erin Burger and Bongiwe Msomi of South Africa talk during preliminaries stage one match between Jamaica and South Africa at at M&S Bank Arena on July 14, 2019 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

The competition at the tournament should be fierce after great showings from all the African teams at the Netball World Cup. South Africa led the way with fourth but Malawi narrowly missed out on fifth, losing their final match to Jamaica by just two points. Uganda and Zimbabwe contested the 7th and 8th playoff with the former coming out on top. Malawi were particularly impressive in holding their own in a group with eventual winners New Zealand led by Joyce Mvula.

“It is never easy playing any of the African countries. All the four teams that competed at the 2019 Netball World Cup did very well, they finished in the top-10.

“I will never underestimate, they are very physical and never easy to play against because of their heights. We will prepare very well against them and make sure that we are better prepared especially against Malawi on Friday and the other opponents. The goal is to win this tournament and remain the best ranked team in the continent.”

The team will gather in Cape Town as they prepare for the tournament which takes place from 18 – 22 October.

Cape Town will host the next Netball World Cup in 2023.

Proteas team for Africa Netball Cup

Bongiwe Msomi (captain), Sigrid Burger, Khanyisa Chawane, Rome Dreyer, Precious Mthembu, Izette Griesel, Lenize Potgieter, Lefebre Rademan, Monique Reynecke, Renske Stoltz, Zanele Vimbela, Shadine van der Merwe. 

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