Karla Pretorius will be a key member of the Proteas netball team at the World Cup. Picture: Reg Caldecott/Gallo Images
They will have to find a way to handle an immense amount of pressure in their chase for a podium position, but the Proteas team are looking forward to a thunderous reception at the Netball World Cup starting in Cape Town on Friday.
One of the national squad’s best players, defender Karla Pretorius, said in the build-up to the 10-day tournament that they were looking forward to playing in front of an electric home crowd at the first edition of the showpiece to be held in Africa.
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“Some of the things I’ve been telling my Australian teammates is just that it’s going to be very different to what they’ve experienced in other countries,” said 33-year-old Pretorius, who plays for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in Australia’s top-flight domestic league.
“I think in South Africa we have that diverse feeling of different cultures and it’s going to be very loud. It’s definitely going to be something that they haven’t experienced before.”
Named the Player of the Tournament at the 2019 World Cup in Liverpool, where South Africa reached the semi-finals for the first time in 24 years, Pretorius will be relied upon to help carry the national team once again.
And head coach Norma Plummer believes Pretorius will have sufficient support after selecting a quality team packed with experience to have a crack at the World Cup podium for the first time in nearly three decades.
Eight of the players who turned out at the global showpiece four years ago have retained their places in the 12-member Proteas side.
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“I’ve been delighted with the players on every camp we’ve had,” said Plummer, who twice guided her native Australia to the World Cup title before linking up with the Proteas.
“They certainly put their hands up for selection, they work hard, they’re very dedicated and they’re looking forward to the competition.”
Though they will face tough opposition, with four teams listed above them in the world rankings (Australia, New Zealand, England and Jamaica), Plummer believed they could put up a fight for a place in the medal playoffs.
“I have every confidence that everything will be in place for the South African team to be able to stand up and really take on the rest of the world at this World Cup,” she said.
Eight pool matches will be played on Friday’s opening day of competition in the Mother City, with South Africa facing Wales in their first Group C match at 6pm. The hosts will then face Sri Lanka tomorrow and fellow medal contenders Jamaica in their last group game on Sunday.
The top three sides in each pool will progress to the second round where they will battle it out for four places in the semi-finals. All games will be played at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
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