Proteas overpower Uganda to defend Africa Netball Cup crown in Lilongwe

The Spar Proteas successfully defended their Africa Netball Cup title with a resounding 56-34 victory over Uganda in the final in Lilongwe, Malawi, in a repeat of last year's decider on Sunday evening.

The clash between Jenny van Dyk’s fifth-ranked Proteas and the Uganda team, ranked one spot below them, was expected to be competitive, but the gulf in class was evident from the first centre pass.

Goal shooter Elmeré van der Berg and goal attack Owethu Ngubane ensured the unbeaten Proteas got off to a flying start, with centre Tarle Mathe and wing attack Kamogelo Maseko feeding them with loop passes against the shorter Uganda defenders, as they led 5-1 in the opening minutes. Their strong aerial play and dynamic movement in the attacking circle left the She-Cranes chasing shadows at times.

Nicola Smith and Jamie van Wyk were miserly on defence, forcing the She-Cranes to work hard for their goals, gobbling up rebounds and intercepts, and delivering sharp exit passes. The team defence was also smothering.

South Africa also dominated the mid-court, with wing defence Refiloe Nketsa and Mathe driving quick transitions and circle feeds, as they led 16-7 at the end of the quarter. Finals jitters seemed to affect the Uganda players, with errors littering their play while the Proteas maintained composure.

They were in complete control and led 27-16 at half-time.

The Proteas continued to assert their dominance in the championship quarter, maintaining a high work rate and clinical execution across the court. Van Dyk introduced fresh legs, with Sanmarie Visser coming on at goal defence in place of Van Wyk.

Van der Berg was especially lethal with her shooting, her near-telepathic link with Maseko and Mathe a constant source of frustration for the She-Cranes, despite an uptick in their intensity.

South Africa's lead had blown out to 18 goals with more than three minutes left in the quarter (40-22), and the defending champions were ahead 43-26 going into the final 15 minutes.

Van Dyk introduced Kyla Dames at centre in place of Mathe, who was on a warning, and Rolene Streutker took the court in place of Ngubane at goal shooter. She showcased her long-range shooting skills as the lead grew to more than 20 with six minutes remaining.

The Proteas closed out the match with confidence, maintaining their structure, intensity, and composure under pressure to secure an emphatic 56-34 victory over the She-Cranes. Zimbabwe once again settled for bronze after a win over hosts Malawi in the third-place playoff.

Earlier in the day, the Proteas Men beat Zimbabwe 40-29 to defend the men’s title.