Spar Proteas skipper Msomi receiving advice from Kolisi

Spar Proteas skipper Bongiwe Msomi is ready to make the nation proud and revealed she will engage Springboks captain Siya Kolisi ahead of the Netball World Cup.

Msomi will lead the national side next month as they look to lift the World Cup that will be staged in Cape Town from July 28 to August 6.

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Speaking to the media via a conference call on Tuesday, Msomi said her plan is to get more advice from Kolisi and Women’s Cricket national team captain, Sune Luus.

Luus guided the cricket team to the final of the Women’s Cricket World earlier this year while Kolisi claimed the Rugby World Cup trophy in 2019.

BONGI MSOMI TO SOLICIT ADVICE FROM BOKS SKIPPER KOLISI

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The 35-year-old netball star, Msomi, will also look to emulate Banyana Banyana captain Refiloe Jane who helped the team to their maiden CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco last year.

Even though the two sporting codes, netball and rugby may be different, the Spar Proteas captain Msomi says she is already talking to Kolisi and she is lucky for that opportunity.

“There are a few plans we have made…and I’m pretty sure speaking to captains in our [other] national teams will be one thing we would like to do,” Msomi said on Tuesday.   

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“It’s just to have a chat and see how they took on…you don’t want to say pressure, but what you need to lead the side that will represent us all in a World Cup at home is something you cannot take for granted.

“I’m quite lucky that I have contact with the likes of Siya Kolisi.

“It’s not to say there’s something they can completely change, but just to hear their views and see how we can take on this journey.”

MSOMI AND PROTEAS TO EMULATE THE CLASS OF ‘95

Born in KwaZulu-Natal, Msomi and her teammates will look to at least make it to the podium as they are yet to do so since the 1995 global tournament.

According to the mandate given to the team by Netball South Africa, the team is expected to go far in the eagerly anticipated tournament and emulate Irene van Dyk-skippered team that finished as runners-up to Australia in England.

The wing-back, Msomi, has expressed faith in her troops and expressed delight in the 15 players selected by coach Norma Plummer.

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“Everyone is looking forward to the team announcement. There’s 15 of us and we know that with the change in rules, three non-travelling players can now come to the World Cup, but they can only take part if there’s a serious injury,” Msomi added.

“That’s something that is going to help us and the other teams. But I really have to say, even before the [preliminary] team was announced, everyone was really pumped and the work rate at training was fantastic.

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“I’m so pleased that I’m not a coach because I’m pretty sure they had a good headache trying to pick the 15, which is something we were looking forward to over the year, to have really good depth in the Spar Proteas.”

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