South Africa have secured a place in Wednesday night’s final of the women’s international water-polo tournament taking place at the Joan Harrison complex in East London.
Pipping Australia by five goals to four in the tense semifinal, after at one stage being 0-3 down, the South Africans now come up against favourites Russia, who beat Sweden 27-0 in the other semifinal.
Sweden were without both of their goalkeepers for the match, and South Africa Under-20 player Anke Jacobs was called on to do the goalkeeping duties.
Sweden’s first-choice ‘keeper, Madelaine Jonsson, had to return home to write an exam, while reserve ‘keeper Joanna Linden broke a rib in a freak accident when she was hit by a wayward ball while walking alongside a men’s interprovincial warm-up session.
Competing in the final of the men’s interprovincial will be South Africa Under-20 and Central Gauteng, after they beat KwaZulu-Natal and Western Province 10-8 and 11-8 respectively in their semifinal matches. — Sapa