Proteas avoid top three teams in Netball World Cup draw

South Africa have been given their best chance of reaching next year’s Netball World Cup final – at least on paper – after avoiding the world’s top three sides in the draw for the 2023 tournament to be played in Cape Town.

Though the Proteas were placed in Pool B at the official draw held in East London on Wednesday night, where they will face a powerful Jamaica team, they will not have to meet Australia, England or New Zealand until the playoffs.

Aside from Jamaica, ranked one place ahead of the Proteas, hosts South Africa will also meet unfancied sides from Wales and Sri Lanka at the global showpiece in Cape Town.

Defending champions New Zealand are in Group D, where they will have to be wary of a rising Uganda side, and Commonwealth Games champions England will also need to avoid an upset against a potentially dangerous Malawi in Pool B.

Perhaps receiving the best draw of the world’s top-ranked sides, giants Australia are up against Tonga, Zimbabwe and Fiji in Pool A, and they should cruise into the medal playoffs.

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“This draw marks an important milestone on our roadmap to the biggest sports event to be hosted by South Africa since the 2010 Fifa World Cup,” said sports minister Nathi Mthethwa.

“We are grateful that World Netball has trusted us enough to host their most significant assert and we dare not disappoint them.”

The 2023 Netball World Cup, being played at Cape Town Convention Centre, starts on 28 July next year.

The top team in each of the four pools will progress to the semifinals.

Pool A

Australia, Tonga, Zimbabwe, Fiji

Pool B

England, Malawi, Scotland, Barbados

Pool C

Jamaica, South Africa, Wales, Sri Lanka

Pool D

New Zealand, Uganda, Trinidad and Tobago, Singapore