With the Spar Proteas set to face the current World Champions, the Diamonds, Netball South Africa has confirmed that Owethu Ngubane has withdrawn from the team for academic reasons. This was revealed last Sunday ahead of the start of the Spar National Championships in Rustenburg.

“Following lengthy conversations and consultations, it was agreed that it is in the best interest of the player not to travel with the team now to Australia and focus on her studies. It has been a long year for netball, and most importantly, the players. We demanded so much from them, and there were a lot of expectations. They spent the better part of the year in camps. As a result, some lagged with school. Owethu will sit this series out but should be back and available for England,” said Cecilia Molokwane, Netball South Africa President.

This will be the Spar Proteas' first international series since the 2023 Netball World Cup, and the team will be aiming to perform at their best during the series.

Free State Crinums Goal Attacker and Goal Shooter, Rolene Streutker, has been called up to replace Ngubane. Streutker is a debutant and may earn her maiden cap for South Africa during this test series.

Two notable additions to the travel team will also include Baby Spar Proteas head coach Jenny van Dyk and President’s XII team manager Gladys (Poppy) Mahlangu.

Molokwane concluded by saying, “It is very important that we create a pool of coaches who have experience who we can call upon whenever we need to. As part of our development plan, we saw it befitting that we must take at least one coach and one team manager when we travel abroad for them to get exposure and learn as much as they can. They will then apply what they have learned when they get back home. This can only bode well for the sport.”

The team will depart from South Africa on Monday, 16 October for Sydney and arrive back in the country on 2 November.

Confirmed names of the traveling team:

Khanyisa Chawane; Boitumelo Mahloko; Kamogelo Maseko; Phumza Maweni; Bongiwe Msomi (Captain); Rolene Streutker; Refiloe Nketsa; Karla Pretorius; Lefébre Rademan; Jeanté Strydom; Nicola Smith; Jamie van Wyk; Elmeré van der Berg; Ine-Marí Venter; Nicholé Taljaard