Lofty goal for netball Proteas

CLOSING the gap on the top three netball sides in the world is the main motivating factor for the Spar Proteas in the third leg of the Quad Series at the Durban International Convention Centre.

South Africa will face thirdranked England today before going up against world champions Australia on Tuesday.

Ranked fifth in the world, the Proteas are looking for a return to the heydays of South African netball of the early 1990s.

Since winning the silver medal at the 1995 World Championships in England, the Proteas have finished fifth on four occasions and sixth in 2007.

Australia, New Zealand and England are ranked first, second and third respectively with South Africa aiming to break into the top four despite the relatively wide chasm that currently exists.

Proteas mentor Norma Plummer, who coached Australia to gold medals at the World Cup in 2007 and 2011, said the team were buoyed by their performances over the first two legs of the Quad Series.

“From that they grew a lot. The whole base is there, and it is just a matter of having the time to keep working. I wish I could take them and put them in the Australian league, playing as a team week and week out. The you would see a massive change,” Plummer said ahead of the clash against England.

“We don’t have that luxury, so we have to work on being smart and intelligent with what we do. We need to be technical and tactical when we get out there and hopefully we are getting that message through.”

South Africa had a baptism of fire in the opening round of the Quad Series last year when they lost 68-43 to Australia before suffering a 65-46 defeat to New Zealand.

In their final match in Melbourne they made a promising start against the England Roses when they grabbed an early lead in the first quarter but ultimately went down 57-44.

The Australia play New Zealand at 3pm today and the Proteas take on the England at 5pm.

Tickets for the matches are available from Computicket, with prices ranging from R20 to R200.