Spar Proteas player Sanmarie Visser has been announced as a temporary replacement for the Adelaide Thunderbirds in Australia.
The 21-year-old midcourter and defender will step in for Romelda Aiken-George, who continues to undergo load management following a minor knee issue.
Visser made her debut for the Spar Proteas in January this year during their three-test series against Jamaica. She further impressed in February at the Nations Cup, earning a Player of the Match nod despite having only played a handful of international tests.
In a statement released by the team on Tuesday morning, Thunderbirds General Manager of High Performance, Jace Bode, spoke highly of Visser’s versatility and her ability to balance the team.
“We already have a number of options in our shooting end, which is why we decided to bring Sanmarie into the environment to add further team balance,” said Bode.
“With players like Lucy Austin, Lauren Frew, Kayla Graham, and Georgie Horjus, we felt confident in our depth in the shooting end, as demonstrated during the Team Girls Cup while Romelda was load managed.”
Bode continued, “Sanmarie has experience playing across both the midcourt and defensive units, and we’re excited to work with her.”
The Thunderbirds will kick off their 2025 campaign at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Saturday, April 5, when they host the Melbourne Vixens in a highly anticipated Grand Final rematch.
