SA coach Plummer positive on Proteas

Head coach Norma Plummer believes the new-look Proteas squad will boast some additional firepower as they target their maiden victory at the second edition of the four-nation Quad Series starting in Australasia next month.

Five changes were made to the 12-member national squad announced yesterday after a training camp in Pretoria.

“I think it’s fair to say over the last two years that (assistant coach) Nicole Cusack and myself have been working with the team, we’ve been able to get improvement and lower scorelines,” Plummer said,

“We look forward to that being maintained. It’s about the effort and if we can get a lot more preparation we’ll get far more results, so we’re working at that.”

Former captain Maryka Holtzhausen (right), returning from an injury hiatus, Nadia Uys Pienaar, who had spent five years in the wilderness, and Rochelle Loubser were all recalled.

Teenager Danelle Lochner, who played at the recent Youth World Cup in Botswana where the Baby Proteas finished sixth, and Ina-Marie Venter were drafted into the side for the first time.

Aside from the first two legs of the Quad Series, which would see the world No 5 Proteas again taking on the top three teams in the global rankings – Australia, New Zealand and England – they would also play two upcoming Tests against Fiji.