SOUTH Africa is the next country to reveal their squad for the 2023 World Cup, with the host country revealing it at a gathering in South Africa overnight Australian time.

Led by captain Bongiwe Msomi and vice-captain Karla Pretorius, there are not too many surprises among the squad of 15, although it has not been explicitly revealed who the travelling reserves are yet. Perhaps the one big surprise omission is Saracens Mavericks’ Monique Meyer.

Head Coach Norma Plummer has been in camp with a group of the South African based members while they are on a break from the Telkom Netball League. However this was just the South African based players as the internationals stayed in their respective leagues.

Plummer, who is back to lead the team to the World Cup for a second consecutive time, said she was happy with the squad they have revealed and how that camp went.

“We have been in camp since May 7, and I believe that we have worked very hard with the players at our disposal,” Plummer said. “We have had some technical and tactical aspects of the game put to the players and at their game. We manage to get some practice matches as well so that, we are sure. We have chosen the best 15 players (12 traveling and 3 reserves) which we believe are the best options.”

As the first African hosts of the tournament, the pressure on the team from those in charge is already clear.

“As a federation, we have given Coach Norma and management team all the support they needed in preparing the best team for the World Cup. This will be for the first time in sixty years that a Netball World Cup is hosted on African soil, therefore our expectation for podium finish as hosts is a fair one. We can’t host and become spectators in our own backyard – we need to make sure that South Africa and other African countries make it to the podium come 6th August 2023,” noted Netball South Africa President Cecilia Molokwane.

“We have spoken to the players and team at large about the importance of this world cup and what we expect of them without applying any pressure on them. From Netball South Africa, we are pleased with the selected players, and we know for sure that they will do well. We are throwing all the much-needed support to the team, and we have full confidence in that and what they can deliver for us. This is their one chance to write their names in the history books.”

South African Squad World Cup 2023

Bongiwe Msomi
Karla Pretorius
Khanyisa Chawane
Izette Griesel
Owethu Ngubane
Refiloe Nketsa
Phumza Maweni
Lenize Potgieter
Lefebre Rademan
Nicola Smith
Jeante Strydom
Nichole Taljaard
Elmere van der Berg
Shadine van der Merwe
Ine-Mari Venter