The excitement for the Vitality Netball World Cup is bubbling and the reveal of the Spar Proteas for the tournament makes it a bit hard to contain the excitement. Netball South Africa’s technical kit sponsor, Puma unveiled the home and away United Warriors kit which is inspired by the different cultures of South Africa.
Puma South Africa’s marketing director, Brett Bellinger says they wanted to capture all that is South African onto the kit.
“Obviously the expected thing is to design another kit with a protea on and we didn’t want to do that for a year this year is going to be. We wanted to push from the design perspective to do some different design and we pushed our design team to come up with something, look at different areas of South Africa rather the obvious. Something simple that supports unity and all the things this team is trying to achieve through their performances and not just by winning the World Cup, unifying the nation. That's what sport does and so the design team looked at obviously national flag coat of arms, African art all of those elements are actually infused in the home and away kits,” explains Bellinger.
The home dress has the traditional green while the away kit is white. Fans from around the country can dress up like the Proteas with replica jerseys that are sold.
Proteas midcourt player, Khanyisa Chawane says wearing the new kit brings a lot excitement for the global competition which will be hosted in Africa for the first time. The Cape Town International Convention Centre will play host for the tournament set for 28 July to 6 August. The senior national team has gathered yet again for a training camp at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport in Cape Town as they continue to prepare for the competition which will see 16 nations vying to be crowned as the best netball nation in the world.
“Having to see the pattern around the kit, it represents us. It represents our country, it brings that feeling that the World Cup is really here and having to wear it feels really good. It does bring that excitement. Everyone wants to play in the World Cup and they know what it means to your family and to yourself to represent the country. Now that we have the kit, it brings the excitement that it’s actually happening that we will be playing in the World Cup and that is very exciting,” says Chawane.
President Cecilia Molokwane is hopeful that the kid launch reminds South Africans of the big tournament that will hit its shores soon. She is confident that the team will produce a stellar performance at the competition and end the on the podium in front of the home crowds.
“People are now going to realise that the World Cup is here. We are not going back, there’s no turning back. The girls will be competing and this is what they will be wearing. South Africans can be aware what our girls will look like, to follow them and to support them. The most important thing is to support and rally behind them. Launching it now with four months to go and most importantly on International Women’s Day, there wouldn’t be a better day to launch this. We are going to perform well, the team is going to do well. I think the Quad Series showed South Africans what the girls can do,” says Molokwane.
Netball SA and Puma first got into the relationship ahead of the 2019 World Cup that sees the senior national team, Baby Spar Proteas and the Telkom Netball League sides donning the German sports brand.
“Women’s sport is important to Puma. It made logical sense to get into the space with NSA all the way back in 2019 and going forward we’re planning to continue the partnership and continue the momentum we’re creating with the national team supporters’ ranges. We don’t want to start something and not go anywhere with it. Our first focus is the national team and TNL visibility from there will be down clubs and sports business,” says Bellinger.
The replica Home and Away kit will be available at PUMA.com, at PUMA Retail, Totalsports, and Sportmans Warehouse from 9 March 2023. Retail price R499. PUMA has also unveiled a range of fanwear across men’s, women’s, and kids’ sizes, which will be available for the season.
