The Netball World Cup is finally coming to light and Spar Proteas veteran goalkeeper Phumza Maweni is feeling confident ahead of the global showpiece.
South Africa will kick off their campaign against Wales in their Pool C opening match at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Friday.
Maweni, 38, stands as one of the most experienced defenders in world netball. Her incredible journey began in June 2014 when she made her debut against Scotland and went on to achieve an impressive 100 test match milestone during the 2022 Africa Netball World Cup regional qualifiers.
Ahead of the Netball World Cup, Maweni said the spirit in the camp is high and believes the team has what it takes to claim the winners medal.
“I think we are pumped. I think it is possible. Everyone talks about it and there is no pressure,” Maweni told Netball SA.
“We are such a nice group. So, we can just go and enjoy the game and deliver the best netball in our country. I think we have a chance [to win the Netball World Cup] and I don’t see anything to stop us.”
Throughout her career, the 38-year-old has left an indelible mark on the netball world, excelling as a key player for the SA national team alongside captain fantastic Bongiwe Msomi.
Maweni also singled out Jamaica as one of the opponents she is looking forward to facing – one of the few sides that have beaten number one ranked Australia.
“Definitely [looking forward to facing] Jamaica. People always tell us about Jamaica but no, there is nothing scary because we have played against them before so, for us, especially me, it is nothing new,” she said.
“It’s the same people that play the game. I can just go back and review what I did well against them and then continue with the new skills that I have. We are good to go.”
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