Goal Attacker Nichole Taljaard in action against Australia during the 2023 Quad Series at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Pic:Skhu Nkomphela
 

South Africa will embark on their first international series when they travel down under to face off against world champions Australia in a three match test series. 

The two countries last met in January during the 2023 Quad Series in Cape Town; they never got a chance to play against each other during the 2023 Netball World Cup at the same venue.

The SPAR Proteas just concluded a three-day training camp in Cape Town this past weekend as part of preparations for the series and a 15-member team was selected to travel to Australia. 

“We have put the disappointments of the World Cup behind us, and we took some serious lessons from there. We are hoping that this group of players who are selected to face the world champs will take those lessons with them and do their best while on country duty. It is always good to play against nations ranked above us as we are able to get a chance to gauge ourselves and see how far we are from the top, what we need to work on and how to do it,” said Cecilia Molokwane, Netball South Africa President. 

The team will have one last training camp before leaving South Africa on the 12th of October 2023. Players selected for the Australian series are as follows:

Khanyisa Chawane; Boitumelo Mahloko; Kamogelo Maseko; Phumza Maweni; Bongiwe Msomi (Captain); Owethu Ngubane; Refiloe Nketsa; Karla Pretorius; Lefébre Rademan; Jeanté Strydon; Nicola Smith; Jamie van Wyk; Elmeré van der Berg; Ine-Marí Venter; Nicholé Taljaard

“We will use this as part of our rebuilding and preparation process – we now need to start looking at the next four years and see how we get ready for Commonwealth Games and Netball World Cup. The time to get ready is now,” concluded Molokwane. 

Dates and times for the matches are as follows:

•    Game 1: Thursday 26 October at Cairns Convention Centre – 10:30 CAT 
•    Game 2: Sunday 29 October at MyState Bank Arena, Hobart – 08:00 CAT 
•    Game 3: Tuesday 31 October at MyState Bank Arena, Hobart – 11:30 CAT