Proteas wing defence Shadine van der Merwe in action against Trinidad and Tobago at the Netball World Cup. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Netball World Cup 2023
They were expected to shine against their lower-ranked opponents, and the Proteas delivered in style, sweeping Trinidad and Tobago aside last night in their first match of the second round at the Netball World Cup in Cape Town.
While they were handed a significant blow just hours before the match, with veteran goal shooter Lenize Potgieter being withdrawn from the squad due to injury, Ine-Mari Venter did well to spearhead the Proteas attack up front in the early stages.
South Africa got off to a relatively slow start in the opening quarter, with three-time World Cup medallists the Calypso Girls gritting their teeth in an attempt to hold on, going into the break six points behind (18-12).
The hosts took control in the second stanza, however, as they gradually opened the gap in an attempt to ensure they took full points from the fixture, which they needed to win to keep their medal hopes alive.
And once they got going, they steamrolled their opposition.
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The Proteas scored 15 goals in the second quarter and conceded only three, as they rocketed themselves into the half-time break with a significant 33-15 advantage.
They went on to extend their lead to 51-21 after the third period, and they maintained their dominance in the last 15 minutes of the game, wrapping up a 69-28 victory.
Head coach Norma Plummer again made multiple changes in the second half of the fixture, as the home team geared up for some brutal clashes they were expected to face later in the week.
Remaining in the hunt for the semi-finals, the Proteas were set to enjoy a day off from the tournament today, before returning to action in a crunch clash tomorrow night against defending champions New Zealand.
They were then set to meet African rivals Uganda on Thursday, with only two of six teams in Group G ultimately progressing to the last four.
Trinidad and Tobago, former world champions, were relegated to the playoffs for lower positions after being handed their third defeat of the tournament, and they were sidelined in the battle for places in the semi-finals.
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