London – In a commendable performance, the SPAR Proteas encountered a narrow 61-55 loss in an exciting Nations Cup final held at the Copper Box Arena in London, England.
With a packed audience of 7,000 supporters, the matchup was expected to be intense, especially following South Africa’s narrow victory over the host nation just a week earlier, finishing 61-59.
However, on Sunday, the SPAR Proteas faced their toughest challenge of the tournament, competing against the home team for the prestigious title.
The match commenced with the Proteas asserting themselves, as Sanmarie Visser (GK) effectively challenged the English goal shooters within the circle.
Throughout the first quarter, South Africa maintained a lead over England, wrapping up the period at 15-12.
Nonetheless, the England Roses quickly regrouped, demonstrating impressive skills in the second quarter and closing the gap.
After South Africa missed two crucial scoring chances, the hosts leveled the score before taking the lead.
With England ahead 26-23 and four minutes remaining in the second quarter, South Africa needed to regain control.
However, the Proteas struggled with several turnovers, allowing England to extend their advantage to 30-28 by halftime.
In the first half, the team recorded 16 turnovers, a significant rise compared to the 15 turnovers they committed against Malawi the previous day.
England continued to increase their lead in the third quarter, pushing it to six points.
South Africa faced a challenging four minutes in the third quarter as center Refiloe Nketsa received a red card for dangerous play.
This incident gave England a substantial advantage. However, showcasing their determination, South Africa fought back to score two goals, although England maintained a four-point lead.
As the quarter progressed, England gradually increased their score.
Despite being a player short, the SPAR Proteas rallied, narrowing the gap from six points to three by the end of the quarter, which concluded at 46-43 in favor of England.
During the third-quarter break, Coach Jenny van Dyk encouraged her team to focus on ball control and fundamental plays as they entered the final quarter.
South Africa mounted a comeback, leveling the score at 46-46. England, however, quickly pulled ahead by six points and ultimately clinched victory with a score of 61-55.
Coach Jenny van Dyk Praises SPAR Proteas’ Tenacity
In her post-match remarks, van Dyk noted that Nketsa’s red card was a significant challenge for the team.
“I’m not completely sure what happened there, but we will need to review what went wrong,” stated van Dyk.
“However, there are no excuses today. I felt we played for six minutes with just six players on the court in a final; we need to address what happened during that time.”
She praised her team for their resilience even while shorthanded in the third quarter.
“Ultimately, coming back into the game with just six players,” said van Dyk.
“I believe this truly reflected the character of South Africa and the spirit of our nation.
“It’s about finishing strong; we emphasized the importance of remaining competitive from the very beginning, which I felt we achieved.”
With five of the world’s top 15 netball-ranked nations coming from Africa, she questioned whether their unique African style of play is recognized when facing teams from other continents.
She further emphasized that if this style is not acknowledged and the officiating does not align with the African approach, they are forced to adapt to succeed on the international scene.
Van Dyk concluded: “At the end of the day, we have no excuses. We’ve had a commendable campaign, but we’ve been away from home for a long time, and with that said, I’m incredibly proud of my players.
“I believe they displayed tremendous character. Congratulations to England for their outstanding performance today.”
The SPAR Proteas are scheduled to return home on Tuesday (OR Tambo International Airport), 11 February 2025, at 09:30 AM.
Score Summary
South Africa vs England:
Q1: 15 – 12
Q2: 28 – 30
Q3: 43 – 46
Q4: 55 – 61
Player of the Match: Funmi Fadoju
Player of the Series: Liv Tchine
