Pretoria, South Africa — Netball South Africa on Monday unveiled a 15-player SPAR Proteas squad that mixes first-time call-ups with returning experience for a daunting six-Test tour against New Zealand and Australia in September and October.
Captain Khanyisa Chawane again leads a core group that impressed through the past season, while defenders Entle Futshane, Nozipho Ntshangase and Juanita van Tonder earn maiden selections on the back of standout Telkom Netball League (TNL) campaigns. Veteran defender Shadine van der Merwe returns after a strong stint in England’s Netball Super League, bolstering a defensive unit that will be tested by the sport’s top two nations. The group also features the in-form Rolene Streutker, leading scorer in England this season, and TNL Player of the Tournament Tarle Mathe.
Head coach Jenny van Dyk said the final Johannesburg trials were “the last step” in an open, performance-driven selection that assessed combinations across domestic and overseas leagues. “If you’re taking on the best in the world, you need experience, grit and a fierce fighting spirit—and we back our core to bring exactly that,” she said, noting the squad’s versatility while the staff continue building depth in “one or two key positions.”
What the coaches said: selection, standards and the long game
Assistant coach Zanele Mdodana described a transparent, integrity-led process that invited top local coaches to interrogate selections and run a demanding, day-long trial. The result, she said, is “a mixture of experience and a blend of youth,” with several newcomers “playing like they’ve been in senior trials before.”
Both coaches framed the tour as a measuring stick ahead of next year’s Commonwealth Games and the 2027 Netball World Cup, with every Test treated as a priority. Key takeaways from the January–February series against Jamaica and England include:
- Conditioning and intensity for 60 minutes: staying clinical under pressure on both sides of the ball.
- Court and emotional intelligence: adapting quickly to umpire interpretations to reduce costly penalties without blunting contest.
- Height and physicality planning: continuing long-term work to handle taller opponents while refining South Africa’s most effective playing style.
- Scheduling ambition: “If you want to be the best, you’ve got to play—and beat—the best,” said Mdodana, welcoming tough fixtures over lower-ranked opposition.
The staff also confirmed U21 players were not considered as they prepare for their World Cup, with integration to follow. On availability, Karla Pretorius has been given time out and remains in future plans, while Syntiche Kabuya was unavailable for selection. Boitumelo Mahloko is sidelined through injury.
Fixtures: Silver Ferns first, Diamonds next
- vs New Zealand: 21, 24, 28 September — Auckland, Napier, Invercargill
- vs Australia: 4, 8, 12 October — Bendigo, Wollongong, Adelaide
South Africa (world No.5) famously drew 48–48 with New Zealand at the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town, but lost a series to Australia earlier that year—context that adds edge to this tour’s objectives: play to win while stress-testing combinations against the gold standard.
Off the court: packed calendar and a funding call
Netball SA CEO Modiegi Komani confirmed a busy close to the year, including defending the Africa Cup in Malawi in December, plus a January home series against a top nation (announcement to follow). She reiterated an open invitation to corporate partners: increased resources are key to sustaining top-four ambitions.
The 2025 SPAR Proteas squad
Khanyisa Chawane (C), Nicholé Breedt, Entle Futshane, Kamogelo Maseko, Tarle Mathe, Owethu Ngubane, Refiloe Nketsa, Nozipho Ntshangase, Nicola Smith, Rolene Streutker, Elmeré van der Berg, Shadine van der Merwe, Juanita van Tonder, Jamie van Wyk, Sanmarie Visser.
The Proteas head to the Antipodes with deliberate balance: three fresh defensive options, a seasoned core that knows the plan, and staff who want the hardest tests now to sharpen for medal moments later. The message from the dais was consistent—standards first, depth building, and no ceiling on intent.
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