After 18 meetings between the two sides, the Proteas are still boasting an unbeaten run against their Welsh counterparts. The Test Match Series, which took place on the 19th and 20th of July in Cardiff, gave the Proteas a taste of what they can expect at the Commonwealth Games next week.
Kicking off this Test Series, head coach Dorette Badenhorst went with a strong and experienced side, with Khanyisa Chawane wearing the captains’ armband. While Wales dominated the first quarter, and the Proteas appeared a little shaky, the quarter was pretty evenly matched, and ended in a 14-all draw.
During the second and third quarters, the Proteas seemed to find their confidence, and took control of the game. Half-time the Proteas lead 31-19. The Proteas’ defence in the third quarter allowed for only single-digit scoring from Wales. The home side came back in the final minutes of the match, but it was not enough, and the Proteas took the win 61-44.
Nicholé Taljaard made her maiden appearance for South Africa during the first test and came on during the fourth quarter. An exciting new recruit, with various accolades, described her first cap as “a dream come true”.
🗣️ "Coming into the group this year was amazing."
— Netball South Africa (@Netball_SA) July 20, 2022
Nicholé Taljaard earned her 1⃣st cap for South Africa when she took the court in the final quarter of the first test against Wales 🇿🇦👏
👉 https://t.co/E6GONluSVt#SPARProteas | #WeAreAllIN pic.twitter.com/ngl0xpBaz8
During the second match in this series, Wales came out strong, looking to win their first ever match against the South African side and draw the series. With a few changes in the Proteas team, Wales looked comfortable controlling the game from the start, and they managed to end the first quarter in the lead 14-12.
The second quarter saw South Africa find a rhythm, and they outscored Wales to end the first half-half 27-25. Changes on goal defence, goal attack and in mid-court for the third quarter helped South Africa keep their lead 45-34. The home side had a strong last quarter, and credit must go to Wales, as they capitalized on the Proteas’ mistakes. In the end though, this was not enough, and the Proteas won 57-47.
The team will now travel to Birmingham on Friday, 22 July, where they will enter the Athletes Village ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The Proteas form part of Group A, along with Australia (1), Jamaica (4), Scotland (8), Wales (9) and Barbados (12).
The wins in Cardiff will be a confidence boost for the Proteas ahead of their first clash against Jamaica on the 30th of July. Jamaica is currently ranked fourth in the World Rankings, one spot higher than South Africa.
