Writers: Ian Harkin, Georgia Doyle
Cover Photo: Clinton Bradbury / Danny Dalton
Check out Jenny Sinclair’s profile of South African coach, Jenny van Dyk here.
Georgia Doyle chats with Jenny van Dyk and Elmere van der Berg in The Sporting Scoop on Youtube and Spotify.
Georgia Doyle and Tobey Keddy’s wrap up of the Taini Jamison series on YouTube and Spotify.
And, stay in the conversation with the Netball Scoop forum.
SCHEDULE
Test 1: Sat, Oct 4, 7:30pm AEST (Bendigo)
Test 2: Wed, Oct 8, 7:30pm AEDT (Wollongong)
Test 3: Sun, Oct 12, 4:30pm AEDT (Adelaide)*
*4pm local time
HOW TO WATCH
Fox/Kayo in Australia
SuperSport in South Africa
NetballPass throughout the rest of the world.
UMPIRES
Gareth Fowler
Angela Armstrong-Lush
Kate Mann
Australia will be without Paige Hadley, seen here against South Africa at the 2019 World Cup. Image: May Bailey
OVERVIEW
Between October 4 and 12, Bendigo, Wollongong, and Adelaide, will host the three tests of this series between Australia and South Africa. While the Proteas have been very busy already this year, this will be the Diamonds’ first taste of international netball for 2025. Australia’s last test series was the Constellation Cup of last year when they were defeated 3-1 by New Zealand. They come into this series off the back of a tough domestic season and a rigorous training camp to prepare for the seven tests that lie ahead of them in October.
South Africa has already played 10 tests in 2025. This is all part of a concerted effort to give them more exposure to top level international netball. While the raw results (three wins, seven losses), may not appear to show great success, all but two of those matches have been played against teams ranked above them; England, Jamaica, and New Zealand. As a result, the fifth-ranked Proteas have gained much-needed experience, and they have beaten England and come oh so close to defeating New Zealand. Now it is their turn to take on the top-ranked Australia.
South African captain Khanyisa Chawane brought up test number 100 in the third Taini Jamison Trophy test against New Zealand. Her opposing captain, Liz Watson has 91 caps. Other experienced players in the series are Courtney Bruce (83 caps) and Jo Weston (75) for Australia, and Shadine van der Merwe (73) for South Africa. Overall, the Diamonds squad for this series has 516 caps worth of experience, compared to the Proteas’ 438. Australia will however be without the very experienced Paige Hadley, missing from the team as she awaits the arrival of her first child.
HEAD TO HEAD
These two countries have met 46 times at test level previously, and the record is all one way. Try as they might, South Africa hasn’t managed to defeat Australia in a test match yet, and in fact there have only been four occasions when Australia’s winning margin was in single figures. Three of those four came in a six match stretch between 2017 and 2019. That South African line-up was a strong one that included Lenize Potgeiter, Maryka Holtzhausen, Bongiwe Msomi, Erin Burger, Karla Pretorius, and Phumza Maweni.
The teams have not met in Bendigo or Wollongong, but they’ve played twice in Adelaide previously for two big Australian wins. The teams have played 24 times in Australia and the closest South Africa has come to the Diamonds is six goals twice. But the closest match overall between the two countries was the incredible World Cup semi final in Liverpool in 2019, when the Proteas challenged the Diamonds strongly and lost by just two goals.
The most recent clashes between the two teams have not been close however. In 2023, South Africa toured Australia and the Diamonds’ winning margins in those three tests were 19, 15, and 27. Seven of this year’s Australian squad played in that series (Courtney Bruce, Sophie Garbin, Matilda Garrett, Sarah Klau, Cara Koenen, Jamie-Lee Price, and Liz Watson), while six of the Proteas took part (Khanyisa Chawane, Kamogelo Maseko, Refiloe Nketsa, Nicola Smith, Rolene Streutker, and Jamie van Wyk)
TEAMS
Diamonds’ coach Stacey Marinkovich. Image Aliesha Vicars.
All eyes will be on the Diamonds as they undertake their first international series since late 2024, and the possibility of up to four debutantes making their appearance on court. Without Paige Hadley, Kate Moloney has been named Diamonds’ vice-captain in her absence.
In the attack end, the first choice goal shooter position is between Cara Koenen and Sophie Garbin. Both players offer something different to the team. Koenen has just come off a Super Netball season where she started slowly, but finished strongly. However, Garbin is likely to get the nod due to her successful combination with Kiera Austin at the Vixens.
Austin has been named as the only out and out goal attack, providing the chance for both Koenen and Georgie Horjus to possibly earn some game time there. The court smarts of Horjus could go a long way to deceiving the athletic South African defenders while Koenen’s stature will be an asset against the height of their defensive end.
Also of interest is the potential debut of Lucy Austin, who after spending just 25 minutes on the Super Netball court in season 2025, offers a tall holding option that Australia hasn’t had consistently in the shooting circle since Caitlin Bassett retired. The Proteas struggled to win much clean ball against Grace Nweke in the Taini Jamison series, so having a strong post up option may be necessary in order to limit the defenders impact.
Lots of attention will be on the mid-court without Hadley. Previously the most stable area of the court, this opens up a chance for someone to step up and join stalwarts Liz Watson, Kate Moloney and Jamie-Lee Price. It will be interesting to see who fills the three spots, as there are numerous combinations possible, and at least one player will be out of their regular position. With no wing defence specialist, that position seems likely to go to Price, Moloney, or even Jo Weston.
Meanwhile, there’s an abundance of centre and wing attack options. Hannah Mundy and Alice Teague-Neeld are set for a potential test debut at wing attack, while Horjus could also see time there. If Teague-Neeld steps on court in the green and gold she will become the fourth oldest debutante, while Mundy would be following in the footsteps of her mother Shelley O’Donnell.
The defensive end has been one of the steadier areas of the court for the Diamonds over recent years, with Courtney Bruce, Sarah Klau, and Weston all regulars. Matilda Garrett is the only new face in recent years. However, after being included in the squad and touring teams in 2024, Ash Ervin didn’t receive a game day call up, so this may be her chance. With the height and accuracy of Elmeré van der Berg, the reach and footwork of Ervin could be exactly what is needed to disrupt the prolific South African shooter.
There is great versatility in the squad regarding defensive combinations in the circle. With plenty of South African goal attack options, the vast goal defence coverage in the Diamonds could prove crucial as they will need to be able to stifle not only the steady and deliberate movement of Nichole Breedt, but also the dynamic play of Kamogelo Maseko & Owethu Ngubane.
This is a strong squad, but they will need to be on guard against an improving team. The Diamonds have an overwhelming head to head record against South Africa, but that was also the case with New Zealand, and the Proteas went tantalisingly close to upsetting them less than a week ago.
Proteas’ coach Jenny van Dyk. Image courtesy of Netball South Africa.
The Proteas come into this series, straight from New Zealand where they’ve just taken part in the Taini Jamison Trophy series. And what a series it was for them. It was far from an auspicious start, with a 26-goal defeat in the first test. But they rebounded from that, going down by 12 goals in the second test in an encouraging display.
Then came the third test, and this was a tremendous performance. Leading and appearing to be in control for much of the match, they ultimately lost it at the death by just one goal, 57-56. It was a heart breaking loss for the Proteas, but there were so many promising signs for the future. The one-goal margin is easily South Africa’s best-ever result against the Silver Ferns in New Zealand.
The Proteas blended youth with experience, with a lot to like about the lineups they put out on court. They played with great speed in attack, and featured a gutsy defensive effort, but weren’t able to maintain consistency in a four quarter effort. While many of the team metrics were similar, the biggest difference between the two sides was the number of gains they achieved, with the Silver Ferns easily outstripping the Proteas 42-16 across the three matches. If the Proteas can find a way to win more ball, they will be a genuine threat to all nations ranked above them.
Elmeré van der Berg had a fine series with a strong hold, split and accuracy under the post. She established herself as certainly the Proteas’ preferred starting goal shooter. Goal attack is a different story. It remains a work in progress with Kamogelo Maseko, Owethu Ngubane and Nichole Breedt all given a run. Maseko proved to be a handful for her opposition, while Ngubane also has a bright future once she gets her turnovers under control as she gains experience. Shooting accuracy away from van der Berg was a big problem, especially as the team was only able to rebound six of the 34 missed attempts during the three tests.
Captain Khanyisa Chawane controlled the midcourt, with her explosive speed in attack and ability to find the circle edge a feature of her game. Tarle Mathe was her main midcourt partner, taking over from Refiloe Nketsa who has often been the preferred option in the past. Whoever fills the centre and wing attack positions, will undoubtedly have a tough time against the Diamonds defensive midcourt players such as Jamie-Lee Price and Kate Moloney, and they will need to make sure turnovers are limited.
The star of the defensive end in the Taini Jamison series was Jamie van Wyk, who was used at wing defence and goal defence. She finished with seven of her side’s 16 gains across the three matches, with her closing speed onto the ball a real asset. She was ably supported by Nicola Smith at goal keeper, while Shadine van der Merwe provided great leadership and grit at wing defence.
Australia will provide them with a very different challenge. After playing against a side that favours the long ball into a post shooter in Grace Nweke, they will face the Diamonds’ more mobile circle, where the goal attack, most likely Kiera Austin, provides greater volume and movement. This could potentially work in the Proteas’ favour, as they have two highly agile defenders in van Wyk and Sanmarie Visser. In this series, South Africa will also face a completely different defensive style, with the Australians preferring a close marking approach compared to the Silver Ferns use of space.
Key to the Proteas’ success in this series, will be finding a way to come up with more gains, a tough ask against a Diamonds’ outfit that prides itself on a low turnover rate. The Proteas will take great heart from their improved results against New Zealand however, and with a highly positive coaching staff and strong self belief, they will provide the Diamonds with a stern test of their mettle.
