It’s been two weeks since the country was painted green in honour of the World Cup-ÂÂÂwinning Springboks.
And with all the hype and hoopla surrounding the team on their return to South Africa, combined with the subsequent successes of both our football and cricket teams, it’s been easy to forget that another of our national sides will be gunning for glory on the world stage this month.
Perhaps that’s because it’s a women’s team, or perhaps it’s because a South African victory at the Netball World Championships is about as likely as Tonga lifting the Webb Ellis trophy. But strange things have happened on the rugby field in the past few months, so why not on the netball courts of New Zealand?
And, just to make it more interesting, national team sponsor Spar has announced a R1-million incentive (which is massive money in the cash-strapped sport of netball) if the team manages to take the title.
One is inclined to take the cynical view that the supermarket group knows its money is pretty safe. But it has also placed R750 000 up for grabs if the team reaches the final, R500 000 for a semifinal berth (which they only just missed at the World Championships in Jamaica four years ago) and R250 000 for reaching the quarterfinals.
Heading the charge will be captain Bronwyn Bock-Jonathan, who hasn’t had the best of luck when it comes to World Championships. The 31-year-old PhD student has missed the past two tournaments because of illness and injury and will be more motivated than ever to make her mark in what is likely to be her first and last championship.
Speaking prior to the team’s departure on Wednesday, Bock-Jonathan said she was delighted to be finally making it to netball’s biggest competition. ”It’s unbelievable really. I can’t believe it’s finally happening and I’m very excited,” she said.
She said her side would be drawing inspiration from the Springboks’ victory, especially if they have to go head to head with defending champions New Zealand.
Ranked fifth in the world, the South Africans are in a pool with Malaysia, Barbados and England. Victories over Malaysia and Barbados should not be too much of a problem, but judging by their 3-0 series drubbing at the hands of the English in January, finishing second in the pool behind England is likely and would set up a quarterfinal showdown against New Zealand.
”We just have to focus on each game as it comes, but obviously finishing top of our pool and avoiding New Zealand in the quarterfinals is the path we want,” said Bock-Jonathan.
Much will depend on the form of shooter Sindi Gumede, who is the only member of the squad to have competed at the previous World Championships. She has been out of action for five months after knee surgery.
”I am keen to have her in the team,” said South Africa coach Burta de Kock. ”I know she’s been out of the game for five months and will be ring-rusty, but we need her for her shooting ability, for her height, but most of all for her experience. She is the only member of the team who has played in a World Cup, so we really need her.”
Just as it was on the rugby fields of France, the favourites for netball’s top honour are New Zealand and eight-time world champions Australia, while the ever-improving England side are in with a shot (having produced a shock victory over the Silver Ferns earlier this year), as are third-ranked Jamaica.
While they wouldn’t like to admit it, New Zealand are feeling the pressure after the All Blacks disappointed the nation by crashing out of the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup.
”Everyone’s been talking about it,” Kiwi captain Adine Wilson told the Press in New Zealand — a country where netball is up there with rugby in terms of national interest. She was quick to add that their favourites tag meant nothing. ”In a World Championships people want it so badly that [favourites labels] mean nothing. Anyone can win on the day. Whether you’ve got the underdog tag or the favourite tag, I don’t think it means a lot, to be honest.”
Favourite tags aside, for South Africa the chief concern will be the team’s somewhat inconsistent form of late. Even Bock-Jonathan admits the build-up to this competition has not been ideal, with only two series against African nations as preparation.
A drawn 1-1 series against Malawi in July and a narrow 2-1 series victory over Uganda in September are all the South African team have to go on, meaning that with sides like Samoa and Fiji knocking at their door at this competition, even defending that number five world ranking could be an arduous task.
The World Championships start on November 10