Plummer taps into super talent to drain top three

DURBAN: 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 here.

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 in the early 1990s.

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

Australia, New Zealand and England are ranked first, second and third respectively. The South Africans aim to break into the top four despite the chasm that currently exists.

Proteas mentor Nor ma 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 Netball Quad Series.

“They grew a lot, the whole base is there. It is a matter of having the time to keep working. I wish I could put them in the Australian league, playing as a team week in and week out. Then you would see a massive change,” Plummer said ahead of the England clash.

“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 by grabbing an early lead in the first quarter before ultimately going down 57-44.

England captain Ama Agbeze said the Proteas have already made advances on the top three sides in the world and expected another tough battle in their return match.

“South African netball has developed over the years; there was a time when they were second at the world champs, then they kind of fell away,” Agbeze said.

“When we beat them at the last Quad Series in Australia they led, I think, 8-0 at the start of the first quarter which is a testament to how good they are.

“People will have to take South African netball seriously. They mean business and they are out to win. Everyone is trying to chase the Australians at the top.”

Plummer said the Quad Series was the ideal platform for South Africa to lift their standard as they go toe-to-toe with the top sides in the world.

“You can play teams ranked lower than you and get a win or you can get out there and get challenged all the time.

“If they don’t get challenged, they don’t improve, so we know Australia, England and New Zealand have beaten South Africa by 35 or 55 goals in the past.

“In the last Quad Series we were able to lower that, and our challenge is to keep at it.”

The Australian Diamonds play the New Zealand Silver Ferns at 3pm today, and the Proteas take on the England Roses at 5pm.