With less than a week remaining until the much-anticipated 2025 Telkom Netball League (TNL), coach Jenny van Dyk says she will use the tournament to identify talent that we may have been overlooked, as the Spar Proteas gear up for the Commonwealth Games next year.
The TNL season is scheduled to take centre stage at the Sun City Super Bowl in North West from Saturday to May 4.
“Inasmuch as I am happy with the core group of players, we will keep an eye on the Telkom Netball League to identify any talent that we may have overlooked,” Van Dyk said.
“We learned so much during our tour of Jamaica and England earlier this year, and we need to step up our game. It is important for us to play against the top four teams as often as possible.”
Early last week, Netball South Africa announced that the Proteas will be taking part in a three-Test series against New Zealand later this year.
The series will form part of their preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Games next year in Glasgow, Scotland, and the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.
“If we want to reach the semi-finals in the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup, we need to beat at least one of the top four teams.
“Therefore, it’s crucial for us to play these teams consistently and frequently,” stated Proteas assistant coach Zanele Mdodana.
“This series will help us know where we stand in terms of what we are doing right and wrong against the top-ranked teams, because the bigger picture for us is to make sure we are ready and qualify for the Commonwealth and the World Cup.
“As a team, we have goals and we know exactly what we need to do in order to achieve them,” Mdodana added.
New Zealand, fondly known as the Silver Ferns, is currently ranked number two on the world netball rankings.
South Africa’s recent opponents, Jamaica and England, are ranked third and fourth, respectively, while Van Dyk’s side is ranked number five in the world.
