The SPAR Proteas will head Down Under for a three-match test series against the reigning world Champions, Australia, in October.
This morning, Netball South Africa announced the series will open at Bendigo’s Red Energy Arena on Saturday 4 October.
The last series between the SPAR Proteas and Australian Diamonds was played in Australia in 2023, which saw the hosts take the spoils in the first standalone series between the two nations Down Under in 18 years.
“We are delighted to take on the world champions in a three-test series in Australia,” said SPAR Proteas head coach Jenny van Dyk. “This is a crucial part of our growth as a team, allowing us to test ourselves against the best, set our standards, and work towards our goals. We are excited to get out there and give it our all.”
South Africa and Australia have played each other 46 times, with the Diamonds winning all test matches played. However, in recent years, and largely credit to former Australian head coach Norma Plummer, who took over as coach of the Proteas from 2015 to 2019 and again in 2022 and 2023, SA have narrowed the score-line against the world’s top side and proven a challenge to the world champs.
The most notable efforts by SA were at the Quad Series in London in 2018, where the Diamonds beat the SPAR Proteas 54-50, along with the heartbreaking 55-53 loss in the 2019 netball World Cup semi-final in Liverpool.
Origin Australian Diamonds head coach Stacey Marinkovich said: “The series against SA is a key part of our preparation as we build toward major campaigns like the Constellation Cup and, looking ahead, the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney. Every match counts and we’re excited to start that journey against the SPAR Proteas in Bendigo.”
The location of the second and third Australian vs South Africa test matches will be announced by Netball Australia shortly.
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