Bongi Msomi passes the ball FILE - Bongi Msomi will be hoping to lead the Proteas to a rare win over Australia, in Australia. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
The Spar Proteas be playing in their first major event since the Netball World Cup that took place in Cape Town earlier this year.
And it’s quite a task that is ahead of the national team where they will take on world Champions Australia in a three match series Down under, with the first match taking place at 10:30am (SA Time) on Wednesday.
The Proteas ended in sixth place at the World Cup and will be hoping that the spectacle would have given them the experience necessary to beat the Aussie Diamonds.
Australia bagged their 12th World Cup title at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on August 6 when they defeated England in the final.
The top-ranked side are also showing no signs of taking their foot of the pedal as they are coming off a Constellation Cup win against Trans-Tasmanian rivals New Zealand.
They sealed a 11th title as the final match went down to the wire with the Diamonds losing the match 53 to 50, but winning the series on goal difference.
Assistant coach Dumisani Chauke says the Proteas are looking forward to pitting their skills against the World Champions.
“It’s going to be crucial for us to see how we fare against the world champions, they have also just concluded a series against New Zealand and won the Constellation Cup.”
“It will be important for us looking back, looking at where we are now and looking to where we would like the team to go in the future just to gauge ourselves against the best team in the world.
“It’s going to be important for us to have minds and bodies that are strong, that are willing to go out there and put in the hard work and let the result take care of itself.”
While the team will have its stalwarts like captain Bongi Msomi, Khanyisa Chawane and Karla Pretorius, there are few new faces in the team including World Cup debutant Owethu Ngubane.
Chauke says this series will give the new players some experience as they look to cement their place in the team.
“We have got a few young inexperienced players that are coming in to the team, they have being doing quite well. Some of them have been in the squad and been on the fringes for quite some time and it was an opportunity for us to give them a chance to tour, to get some international experience.”
“We looking to give them experience and exposure to help prepare them to be better players”
The Proteas will then take on Australia on Sunday October 29 in Hobart at 08:00am (SA time). Game three will take place on Tuesday October 31, these two matches will be played at the MyState Bank Arena, Hobart.
@AliciaPillay56
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