SPAR Challenge Tri-Nations between Africa’s top netball nations starts TODAY
The SPAR Challenge Tri-Nations between South Africa, Uganda and Namibia commences today at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
The opening match between South Africa and Namibia will start at 10:00.
With the upcoming 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2023 World Cup (to be hosted in Cape Town), the SPAR Challenge Tri-Nations is significant for all three nations since international exposure was limited the past year by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The tournament will also give all three nations the opportunity to improve their world ranking.
Currently, the Proteas rank fifth in the world, followed by the Uganda She Cranes in the seventh position and the Namibian Debmarine Desert Jewels in 23rd.
Proteas head coach Dorette Badenhorst said that the Tri-Nations tournament was an ideal way to grow netball in Africa.
Uganda coach Rashid Mubiru added:
“We are excited to play here, because it is an opportunity for us to earn rankings points. We are also striving to qualify for next year’s Commonwealth Games and the 2023 World Cup and it will be useful to play at the venue for the World Cup”.
Namibian head coach Julene Meyer all weighed in, saying:
“Our immediate goal is to qualify for the pinnacle netball events and we will benefit from playing against two of Africa’s top three teams”.
Executive Mayor of the City of Cape Town, Dan Plato, welcomed the captains of the competing teams in anticipation of the tournament which will conclude on 31 March.
“I’m looking forward to this netball tournament, it’s absolutely vital important for Cape Town and South Africa as a whole that we at least once again during COVID and after the worst of COVID that we can compete, that we can travel a bit, therefore we welcome Namibia, we welcome Uganda and their teams with us. I’m also looking at the bigger picture, with the eyes on the international Netball World Cup. I think that is very important, and in the running up to the World Cup, that we can test our abilities against some of the best teams in Africa,” said Dan Plato.
All matches will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. No spectators will be allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the games can be watched live on SuperSport Variety 4.
The fixtures for Thursday, 25 March are as follows:
10:00 – South Africa v Namibia
14:00 – SA U21 v President’s XII
16:00 – Opening ceremony
18:00 – South Africa v Uganda
For the full list of SPAR Challenge Tri-Nations fixtures, please click here.
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