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All systems go for first-ever African peppered NWC, eyes on Proteas

todayJuly 27, 2023 49

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SPAR Proteas assistant coach, Dumisani Chauke, is expecting a tough encounter when South Africa begin their 2023 Netball World Cup campaign against Wales on Friday evening at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

It will be the first time ever that the tournament will be held on African soil.

The last time the two nations faced off was in 2022 with South Africa getting the victory then. However, Chauke says, they will not take their opponents lightly.

“We are expecting Wales to come out to challenge us, we know that they’ve gone back to the drawing board, they’ve analysed us and have prepared well for us.”

“We did play them before the 2022 Commonwealth Games, so we’re expecting them to come guns blazing when we face them.”

South Africa go into the tournament ranked fifth in the world. At the last World Cup in Liverpool in 2019, the Proteas just missed a podium finish — losing 58-42 to England in the third-place play-off.

The 15th edition of the tournament will begin at 9am on Friday.

The Proteas’ second match will be against Sri Lanka on Saturday at 6pm, with their final group game against Jamaica, the only team in their group ranked above them, on Sunday at 6pm.

The NWC runs from the 28th of July to the 6th of August. Article by Ntsako Mkhari

Written by: Lindiwe Mabena

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