Proteas set for blockbuster netball series against world champions in October

Netball South Africa announced on Friday that the SPAR Proteas will travel to Australia for a three-match test series against the reigning world champions in October.

The series will open at Bendigo’s Red Energy Arena on Saturday, 4 October at 7:30pm.

The last series between the Proteas and Australian Diamonds was played in 2023, also in Australia, which the hosts won.

It was the first standalone test series between the two nations “Down Under” in 18 years.

Proteas Head Coach Jenny van Dyk said, "We are delighted to take on the world champions in a three-test series in Australia. This is a crucial part of our growth as a team, allowing us to test ourselves against the best, set our standards, and work towards our goals. We are excited to get out there and give it our all."

South Africa and Australia have played each other 46 times, with Australia winning all test matches played.

However, in recent years, and largely credit to former Australian Head Coach Norma Plummer, who took over as coach of the Proteas in 2015-2019 and again in 2022-2023, South Africa have narrowed the scoreline against the world number one team and proven a challenge to the world champs.

The most notable efforts by South Africa were at the Quad Series in London in 2018 where The Diamonds beat the Proteas 54-50 and the antagonising loss by South Africa to Australia in the 2019 netball World Cup semifinal in Liverpool which Australia won by two points (55-53) in the dying minutes of the game.

Origin Australian Diamonds Head Coach Stacey Marinkovich said: “The series against South Africa is a key part of our preparation as we build toward major campaigns like the Constellation Cup and, looking ahead, the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and 2027 netball World Cup in Sydney. Every match count and we’re excited to start that journey against the Proteas in Bendigo.”

The location of the second and third Australian vs South Africa test Series matches will be announced shortly by the hosts, Netball Australia.

SOUTH ARICA vs AUSTRALIA HEAD TO HEAD STATS:

2018 = Australia 54-50 South Africa (London)

2018 = Australia 60-38 South Africa (Gold Coast)

2018 = Australia 61-44 South Africa (Auckland)

2019 = Australia 62-45 South Africa (Liverpool)

2019 = Australia 55-53 South Africa (Liverpool)

2022 = Australia 60-40 South Africa (London) 

2022 = Australia 74-49 South Africa (Birmingham)

2023 = Australia 65-48 South Africa (Cape Town)

2023 = Australia 62-43 South Africa (Cairns)

2023 = Australia 67-52 South Africa (Hobart)

2023 = Australia 77-50 South Africa (Hobart)

- Total games played: 46

- Proteas won: 0

- Diamonds won: 46

- Drew: 0

- Proteas total goals scored: 1787

- Diamonds total goals scored: 3114

- Average score: Diamonds 68-39 Proteas 

- Proteas smallest losing margin: 2 goals (53-55) in 2019 in Liverpool.

- Diamonds biggest winning margin: 61 goals (89-28) in 1999 in Sydney.

- Most goals scored by Proteas: 53 (53-55) in 2019 in Liverpool.

- Most goals scored by Diamonds: 89 (89-28) in 1999 in Sydney.