The Spar Proteas will now turn their attention to the forthcoming Nations Cup in February after their recent three-match series loss to Jamaica, which was disappointing but well-fought.
Jamaica defeated the Proteas in Kingston with a convincing clean sweep to wrap up the Margaret Beckford Sunshine Netball Series.
The Spar Proteas lost 58-47 in their final match on Sunday.
Despite the outcome, South African coach Jenny van Dyk is confident in the Proteas’ future and is proud of the team’s efforts to rally from an 11-1 deficit.
We are building something special
“Coming back from that is not an easy task, but it should never have happened in the first place,” said Van Dyk.
“We are beginning to build something special, and I think the Spar Proteas will be a force to be reckoned with in the next couple of years.
“We are looking towards the Netball World Cup in 2027, but the next big thing is the Commonwealth Games in 14 months.”
She continued: “We are aiming for a place in the semifinals, and to do that, we must beat one of the big four, so we must play these teams.
“We have learnt so much about our players and their potential in this series. The amount of experience our young players have gained from playing in this very tough series has been invaluable.”
We showed character and grit
Spar Proteas captain Khanyisa Chawane said it had been an amazing series.
Explained Chawane: “We got off to a very good start, winning the African Championship, and we needed a challenge. The series was a learning curve for each one of us, as well as for the team.
“I think we showed a lot of character and grit, and we also confirmed our love for the game of netball.”
The Spar Proteas arrived in the UK on Monday for the Nations Cup, where they will play Malawi, Uganda, and England.
Goal attack Nicola Smith, who suffered a wrist injury in the opening game in Jamaica, will be replaced by Syntiche Kabuya, a former Baby Proteas player from the Western Cape.
