Ngubane replaces injured Potgieter

Spar Proteas goal shooter, Lenize Potgieter, has withdrawn from the team due to injury. The former Adelaide Thunderbirds only played in one match of the 2023 Netball World Cup taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The Proteas all-time leading goalscorer made her first appearance with two heavily strapped knees in South Africa’s 67-49 to Commonwealth Games silver medallists, Jamaica. Potgieter will be replaced by Owethu Ngubane who travelled with the team to the Mother City as one of the travelling reserves. Ngubane will likely be making her World Cup debut in the matches that are remaining.

Although she was heavily strapped, Potgieter has a good appearance in the match achieving a 100 per cent shooting accuracy against the Sunshine Girls. She played in the first three quarters of the game.

Potgieter had missed the first two matches of the competition against Wales and Sri Lanka which Proteas coach, Norma Plummer explained that it was a precautionary measure as the lanky star had a niggling injury.

“She’s got a bit of a niggle and we’re not going to push when we don’t have to. There are still a lot of tough matches to come. Wales are ranked under us and so is Sri Lanka then we have Jamaica. So I have got to make sure she is okay for that. Although she has got a competition with this one (Ine-Mari Venter) but there is nothing wrong with that. We always want the competition because it keeps everybody working hard,” says Plummer.