Netball South Africa Challenge Explained

Netball South Africa Challenge
Current Season:2021 SPAR Challenge Series
Sport:Netball
Inaugural:2012
Teams:3-6
Champion: (5th title)
Most Champs: (5 titles)

The Netball South Africa Challenge (previously known as the Diamond Challenge and currently known as the SPAR Challenge) is an international netball tournament held close to biannually in South Africa and organised by the country's governing body for the sport, Netball South Africa. The challenge is contested by the South African national team and up to five other African nations. The inaugural tournament was held in 2012 and it has been contested in most subsequent years.

History

The tournament has been held in different South African cities since it began in 2012. The South African team has won each of the tournaments on offer. The tournament did not take place in 2014 and 2017.[1] [2] Despite South Africa's dominance at the tournament, head coach Norma Plummer has stated "we respect all teams we play in the Diamond Challenge and we [work] hard to win these games confidently".[3] In the 2016 and 2018 editions, an invitational second-tier side, known as the South African Presidents XII, has participated with a view to developing the "next tier" of South African netballers with international experience.[3]

Results

YearCityOpponent(s)ResultsWinnerRef
2012Pretoria

3rd/4th: BOT 45-36 ZAM
Final: RSA 47-43 MAW
South Africa[4]
2013Port Elizabeth
Final: SA 59-45 ZIMSouth Africa[5]
2015Margate

3rd/4th: UGA 59-34 ZAM
Final: RSA 40-35 MAW
South Africa[6]
2016Durban SAP XII

3rd/4th: UGA 54-54 SAP XII
Final: RSA 68-34 ZIM
South Africa[7]
2018Seshego

SAP XII

1st: South Africa / 2nd: Zambia
3rd: Zimbabwe / 4th: Botswana
5th: Namibia / 6th: Presidents XII[8]
South Africa[9]
[10]
2021Cape Town

SAP XII
SA U21
TBC TBCN/A

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Spar Proteas aim to edge out Malawi at challenge. CityPress. 14 June 2015.
  2. Web site: Proteas year in review. Netball Scoop. 24 December 2017.
  3. Web site: South African netball sides named ahead of Diamond Challenge. 24 November 2018. Netball South Africa.
  4. Web site: Weakened South Africa triumphs over Malawi in Diamond Netball Challenge. Netball Scoop. 20 August 2012. Luke Williams.
  5. Web site: 2013 Diamond Challenge (SA/Zambia/Zimbabwe). Netball Scoop Forum Archive. 28 October 2013.
  6. Web site: Plummer’s Proteas shine to win Diamond Challenge. South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee. 21 June 2015.
  7. Web site: 2016 Diamond Challenge. Netball Scoop Forum Archive. 2 October 2016.
  8. Despite winning four of their five matches, the Presidents XII were not ranked in the medal count and so have been assigned sixth position in this table (see here).
  9. Web site: 2018 Diamond Challenge in South Africa (27 Nov-1 Dec). Netball Scoop Forum. 5 November 2018.
  10. Web site: SPAR PROTEAS WRAP UP DIAMOND CHALLENGE TITLE DEFENCE. South Africa Netball. Facebook. 1 December 2018.