Netball South Africa (NSA) has announced its men’s and women’s squads for the upcoming FAST5 Netball World Series, hot on the heels of the thrilling Males Netball Championships. The final 10-member teams are ready to face the world’s best in Christchurch, New Zealand on November 9th and 10th.
The women’s team kicks off their campaign against England, while the men will take on Australia on the first day. This year’s selection process prioritised a balance of youth and experience, a strategic decision informed by last year’s edition. NSA Director of Selections Ivy Khumalo expressed confidence in the chosen squads.
Blending Youth and Experience
“The key factors we used in selecting this year’s FAST5 were based on what we experienced when we went to the same competition last year,” says Khumalo. “We took a relatively young team drawn from the Under 23s, and we saw how the other teams looked. The feeling was that had we taken a balanced team with a bit of maturity and more experience, we could have achieved something. So the selected teams reflect that blend of youth and experience.”
Khumalo highlighted the impressive performance of the younger players, who are pushing the boundaries of the sport and setting the stage for South Africa’s future dominance in netball. “It was very tough [to select] because the youngsters are overshadowing the seniors, which is good because we have our eyes on the future,” she says. “We have youthful squads that will compete and dominate for many years. Our focus is exposing the young players to these competitions with the future in mind.”
South Africa’s male netball team has been steadily gaining international recognition, having competed in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2022 and in Botswana in 2023. The team played at the Africa Netball Cup in Botswana (in 2023), beating Zimbabwe in the final, the Men’s SA FAST5 Team played at the FAST5 Netball World Series in New Zealand in 2023. The South African Men’s National Team played in the America’s Netball Men’s Championships in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2022.
Their female counterparts, the SPAR Proteas, featured in the first-ever Netball World Cup hosted on African soil in Cape Town last year and toured Australia (in October 2023) and England (in December 2023), where they beat the Vitality Roses in the second test, their eighth on UK soil.
“We are known internationally, we’ve been to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2022 and New Zealand last year and our intentions were very clear,” she says. “At St Vincent, we only lost to Jamaica (by two goals), but we were guest participants, so that didn’t really count. But from a confidence point of view, it said we could achieve anything as a team. We understand the demands of the international stage, and we will be up to the task.”
The FAST5 format demands quick thinking and decisive action, and Khumalo believes the selected squads possess the necessary attributes to excel in this fast-paced environment. “For FAST5, you need quick-thinking players and players that are decisive on the court: it’s a fast and quick game, and one has to decide now; otherwise, you lose,” Khumalo says. “I’m positive that this year we’ll return with gold.”
South Africa’s female team achieved its best-ever FAST5 Netball World Series result in 2022, securing a silver medal after a hard-fought final against Australia. They will be determined to climb higher on the podium this time around. The Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch will be the battleground for this exciting tournament, which promises thrilling netball action and fierce competition.
The SA men’s FAST5 team will bank on the experience and form of Shane Labuschagne, who was instrumental as Ekurhuleni retained the Males National Netball Championship title. On the other hand, the SA FAST5 women have a talented goal shooter and goal attack Rolene Streutker, who had a stint with Australia’s Melbourne Mavericks recently. Boitumelo Mahloko, who made her debut against Namibia in 2022, will also be key for the women’s team. The international stage is not new to her, as she has represented South Africa at U16, U20 and U21.
NSA President Cecilia Molokwane believes participation in international competitions is crucial for the players’ exposure. “We just completed the Males Netball Championships, and what’s clear to us is that Netball’s potential is limitless,” says Molokwane. “But we believe corporate support can unlock that potential, and together, we can create a winning formula for South Africa.” Read more about the South African Male squads selected at the 2024 Men’s National Championships
TEAMS
- Females: Rolene Streukter (GS); Zandré Smit (GS); Kamogelo Maseko (GA); Lefébre Rademan (GA); Shannen Bartlett (C); Amber Coraizin (C); Sanmarie Visser (GD); Boitumelo Mahloko (GD); Ané Retief (GK); Syntiche Kabuya (GK)
- Non-travellers: Tarle Mathe (C); Nicholé Taljaard (GA)
- Team Management: Martha Mosoahle-Samm (Head Coach); Erin Burger (Assistant Coach); Olga Nsele (Manager); Narita du Toit (Physio)
- Males: William Lethoko (GS); Shane Labuschagne (GS/GA; Eugene Sinxesi (GA/GS); Fred Damons (GA/C); Sibongakonke Vava (C/GA); Itumeleng Mohanoe (C); Njabulo Nekhavhambe (GD); Sicelo Gamede (GD/GK); Edward Manyathela GK/GD; Vukile Zulu (GK)
- Non-travellers: Lutendo Maiwashe (GS); Gavin Peters (C)
- Team Management: Neville Chapepa (Head Coach); Themba Ntuli (Assistant Coach); Ollen Mampuru (Manager); Matome Seroto (Physio)
SOUTH AFRICAN FIXTURES
9 November 2024
12:30 (NZST) / 02:30 (SAST) Women: England vs South Africa
14:45 (NZST) / 04:45 (SAST) Men: Australia vs South Africa
16:15 (NZST) / 06:15 (SAST) Women: Australia vs South Africa
19:30 (NZST) / 09:30 (SAST) Women: Jamaica vs South Africa
10 November 2024
13:30 (NZST) / 03:30 (SAST) Women: South Africa vs Uganda
14:15 (NZT) / 04:15 (SAST) Men: New Zealand vs South Africa
15:45 (NZST) / 05:45 (SAST) Women: New Zealand vs South Africa
17:40 (NZST) / 07:40 (SAST) Playoff 5th/6th Women
18:30 (NZST) / 08:30 (SAST) Playoff 3rd/4th Women
19:20 (NZST) / 09:20 (SAST) Final 1st/2nd Men
20:10 (NZST) / 10:10 (SAST) Final 1st/2nd Women
Learn more about the FAST5 Netball World Series
*Schedule subject to change at short notice.
**Broadcast details to be announced.
Photo Credit: Michael Bradley Photography
