With the Spar Challenge set to be wrapped up today at the Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg, there will be quite a lot of positives to take from the Proteas, as they are setting their sights on the Commonwealth Games in July this year.
South Africa will be playing their third and final match against England and will be looking to end the netball series as they started it.
The Spar Proteas held their nerve against the Vitality Roses when they produced a 52-48 win over the third-ranked team in the world during the opening match on Thursday night.
It will be a night to remember for most of the players and the entire netball fraternity, as the Proteas returned to playing at the Ellis Park Arena for the first time since 2024, and what a way to do it with a big win over a top side like England in front of their home crowd.
Apart from how the team showed its quality and fighting spirit throughout the game, one of the standout moments came with Nicola Smith, who earned her 50th Test cap, stepping into the goalkeeper position in the third quarter and maintaining intense defensive pressure.
The likes of Kamogelo Maseko, Refiloe Nketsa, Owethu Ngubane, Tarle Mathe, Elmeré van der Berg, and captain Khanyisa Chawane stepped up when they were required to, especially with several new faces in the team at a crucial time, where the team is looking beyond the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, with the World Cup coming next year in Sydney, Australia.
So, coach Jenny van Dyk will be impressed and confident about what the future holds for the team she has been building since taking over in 2024, alongside her assistant Zanele Mdodana.
Yesterday, the Spar Proteas and England played the second match series in Ellis Park, as the Roses were on a mission to level matters after the setback on the first day.
Today, the two teams will wrap things up, and that has been one of the most thrilling and high-intensity brands of netball ever witnessed at the Ellis Park Arena.
