Liverpool, United Kingdom – The South African SPAR Proteas are ready to take on the netball world in Liverpool.
On Friday the much anticipated 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup gets underway and fifth ranked South Africa are up first against Trinidad and Tobago the tenth world ranked Caribbean Island team in their opening game.
Norma Plummer, SPAR Proteas Head Coach said her charges were ready for the tournament. “We are ready, as ready as we can be. Our training camp and two test matches in Wales have helped us tremendously with our preparation for the World Cup. We dominated Wales in both test matches which has given my players added confidence going into Liverpool and I was able to give all 12 players court time and try various combinations which was a crucial part of our preparation.”
Plummer said that South Africa were in the toughest group of the 16 nation tournament. “Each of our three round robin stage 1 games Friday (Trinidad and Tobago), Saturday (Fiji) and Sunday (Jamaica) are big games. The girls will have to be on point in each game to have a chance of ending top two of the group come Monday.”
“We can’t underestimate Trinidad and Tobago. They don’t play a lot of international matches so their form is relatively unknown, but they have a few world class players and we can’t take them likely in our opener on Friday.”
South African team coach in Liverpool Dorette Badenhorst agreed with Plummer. “We are well prepared. Norma has a good idea how she is going to play the combinations, we have 12 brilliant players to work with and they all are in great shape and ready to do duty.”
Bongi Msomi, SPAR Proteas captain who is playing in her third World Cup said she was excited for Liverpool. “We are a very close knit group, get on so well with each other and our time in Wales made such a difference to our preparation. We have worked so hard, now we want to get out onto court and play. I’m so honored to be captaining this side in my third netball World Cup.”
