Proteas Fall Short Against England in Intense Netball Nations Cup Final

South Africa’s Proteas displayed remarkable resilience in Sunday night’s Netball Nations Cup final against England, pushing the hosts to the limit despite playing a significant portion of the third quarter with a player down. The Roses ultimately secured the title with a 61-55 win at the Copper Box Arena in London, with a jubilant home crowd celebrating their victory.

𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗗!

The SPAR Proteas gave it everything in a battle full of heart, grit, and determination. Though the final result didn’t go our way, they have made SA incredibly proud! #SPARProteas #WeAreAllIn #NetballNationsCup2025 pic.twitter.com/LBfu2KxrTO

— Netball South Africa (@Netball_SA) February 9, 2025

World No. 5 South Africa made a strong start to the match, finishing the first quarter with a 15-12 lead. Coach Jenny van Dyk made some surprising lineup changes, starting Rolene Streutker at goal shooter and benching Elmere van der Berg, despite the latter’s good form. Nichole Breedt, who starred in the previous match against Malawi, also started on the bench.

Streutker justified van Dyk’s decision with a stellar performance, not missing a shot in the first quarter, helping the Proteas maintain their lead. Goal attack Kamogelo Maseko also played a key role, having been rested during the match against Malawi, and was back to torment the fourth-ranked Roses. The accuracy and mobility of the South African attackers posed ongoing problems for England.

Picture: SuperSport

Defender Jamie van Wyk was solid on the defensive end, and her partnership with goalkeeper Sanmarie Visser continued to grow stronger with each match. England managed to close the gap early in the second quarter but were kept at bay by Streutker and Maseko, helping South Africa maintain a slim lead.

However, England fought back to take the lead for the first time in the game at 21-20. By the time the second quarter ended, the Proteas were trailing 30-28, and captain KC Chawane admitted at half-time that the team had been too loose in their play, allowing England to come back into the game.

Challenges in the Third Quarter

The Roses came out stronger in the third quarter, pulling ahead by six points at 34-28. The Proteas faced a significant setback when centre Refiloe Nketsa was ejected from the game after receiving a yellow card. Despite this, South Africa refused to back down and fought hard to pull within three points at 45-42, trailing England by just one point going into the final 10 minutes.

Tense Final Quarter

With Nketsa returning from her suspension, the final quarter became a heated battle. England began to take control of the match, leading 56-52 with five minutes remaining. Despite a strong comeback attempt by the Proteas, it was the Roses who sealed the victory.

Van Dyk expressed her frustration over the unclear reason for Nketsa’s sending off but praised the team’s determination and bravery. “With six players on court in a final, we have to ask the question what happened there,” Van Dyk said. “At the end of the day, coming back into the game with only six players on the court—that was true South African character and true South African spirit.”

Uganda Claims Third Place

Earlier in the day, Uganda triumphed over Malawi 50-45 in the third-place play-off.

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