The final list of 12 players to represent the country at the Netball World Cup on home soil in Cape Town along with the names of the three reserves has been announced by Netball South Africa.
An initial squad of 15 players was announced in May after Spar Proteas Head Coach Norma Plummer had been with the team for a four-week training camp. Locally based players then went back to their respective provincial teams and played the remainder of the domestic Telkom Netball League while the overseas-based players concluded their leagues as well.
“As a federation, we have given Coach Norma and the management team all the support they needed in preparing the best team for the World Cup," said Netball South Africa president said Cecilia Molokwane.
"This will be for the first time in 60 years that a Netball World Cup is hosted on African soil, therefore our expectation for a podium finish as hosts is a fair one. We can’t host and become spectators in our own backyard – we need to make sure that South Africa and other African countries make it to the podium come 6th August 2023.
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The final 12 #SPARProteas players who will represent South Africa at the Vitality #NWC2023 Cape Town has been announced ????
"From Netball South Africa, we are pleased with the selected players, and we know for sure that they will do well. We are throwing all the much-needed support to the team, and we have full confidence in that and what they can deliver for us. This is their one chance to write their names in the history books,” added Molokwane.
The players selected to don the green and gold for South Africa during the 2023 Netball World Cup are:
Bongiwe Msomi (capt); Karla Pretorius (vice-capt); Khanyisa Chawane; Izette Griesel; Phumza Maweni; Lenize Potgieter; Nicola Smith; Jeante Strydom; Nichole Taljaard; Elmere van der Berg; Shadine van der Merwe, Ine-Mari Venter
Reserves: Owethu Ngubane; Refiloe Nketsa and Lefebre Rademan
The team will meet again on the 14 July 2023 in Cape Town for a final training camp before the Netball World Cup.
The 2023 Netball World takes place from 28 July to 6 August 2023 and will be played at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). All matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport.