JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s national male netball squads have made an emphatic statement at the Netball Super Power Week currently underway at the Wembley Indoor Arena in Johannesburg. Both the senior Protea Warriors and the South African U23 Men boast perfect two-from-two records, sitting atop their respective pools ahead of a blockbuster weekend of cross-gender exhibition clashes and knockout finals.
Protea Warriors Command Pool Green
The Protea Warriors have set a relentless pace in Pool Green, securing the top spot on the log with four points after two clinical victories on Thursday. The senior national side opened their campaign with a dominant 58–39 morning triumph over regional rivals Botswana, before backing it up in the evening session with a comprehensive 64–33 dismantling of Zimbabwe.
The Warriors return to the court this morning at 09:00 against a competitive University Sport South Africa (USSA) side, looking to maintain their stranglehold on Pool Green.
SA U23 Men Surge to the Top of Pool Yellow
Matching their senior counterparts stride for stride, the South African U23 Men lead Pool Yellow with a maximum four points from two outings. After showing immense grit to edge out Eswatini 47–42 in a fiercely contested opener on Wednesday night, the young South Africans unleashed a ruthless attacking display to demolish the South African Police Services (SAPS) 102–9.
The SA U23s face a stern test tonight at 19:00 when they lock horns with Namibia in a crucial pool encounter.
SPAR Proteas Enter the Fray on the Road to 2027
Adding an electric dynamic to the Super Power Week is the inclusion of the SPAR Proteas women’s national squad, who have been split into East and West teams for the tournament. In a strategic move by Netball South Africa (NSA) ahead of the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney, the SPAR Proteas are taking on both the Protea Warriors and the SA U23 Men in high-intensity friendly matches, alongside two mouth-watering East versus West intra-squad showdowns.
The initiative provides national coaches and selectors with an ideal high-performance environment to test combinations, evaluate player form under physical pressure, and build squad depth against the speed and athleticism of the national men’s sides.
Today’s cross-match schedule sees the SA U23 Men take on the SPAR Proteas East side at 11:00, followed by a headline clash between the Protea Warriors and the SPAR Proteas West side at 17:00. The two SPAR Proteas sides will then go head-to-head on Saturday at 11:00, before meeting again on Sunday in a return fixture that serves as the curtain-raiser to the men’s tournament final.
The Road to Sunday’s Showpiece
With the final round of group stage matches concluding on Saturday, all eyes are on Sunday’s knockout stages. In the cross-pool semifinals, the top finisher in Pool Green will face the runner-up from Pool Yellow, while Pool Yellow’s leader will battle Pool Green’s second-placed team. The two semifinal winners will collide in the Super Power Week Grand Final on Sunday at 14:00.
Key Weekend Fixtures (Wembley Indoor Arena, Johannesburg)
- Friday, 13 November (09:00): Protea Warriors vs. USSA (Pool Green)
- Friday, 13 November (11:00): SA U23 Men vs. SPAR Proteas Ladies East (Friendly)
- Friday, 13 November (17:00): Protea Warriors vs. SPAR Proteas Ladies West (Friendly)
- Friday, 13 November (19:00): SA U23 Men vs. Namibia (Pool Yellow)
- Saturday, 14 November (11:00): SPAR Proteas Ladies East vs. SPAR Proteas Ladies West (Friendly)
- Saturday, 14 November (All Day): Final Men’s Pool Stage Matches
- Sunday, 15 November (Morning): Men’s Semifinals (1st Pool Green vs. 2nd Pool Yellow, and 1st Pool Yellow vs. 2nd Pool Green) & SPAR Proteas East vs. West Return Match
- Sunday, 15 November (14:00): Men’s Super Power Week Final
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