Netball South Africa Challenge

Last updated

Netball South Africa Challenge
Current season, competition or edition:
Netball current event.svg 2021 SPAR Challenge Series
Sport Netball
Inaugural season2012
No. of teams3-6
Most recent
champion(s)
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa (5th title)
Most titlesFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa (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.

Contents

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
2012 Pretoria Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana
Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia
3rd/4th: BOT 45-36 ZAM
Final: RSA 47-43 MAW
South Africa [4]
2013 Port Elizabeth Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe
Final: SA 59-45 ZIMSouth Africa [5]
2015 Margate Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi
Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia
3rd/4th: UGA 59-34 ZAM
Final: RSA 40-35 MAW
South Africa [6]
2016 Durban Flag of South Africa.svg SAP XII
Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe
3rd/4th: UGA 54-54 SAP XII
Final: RSA 68-34 ZIM
South Africa [7]
2018 Seshego Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana
Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia
Flag of South Africa.svg SAP XII
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe
1st: South Africa / 2nd: Zambia
3rd: Zimbabwe / 4th: Botswana
5th: Namibia / 6th: Presidents XII [nb 1]
South Africa [8]
[9]
2021 Cape Town Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda
Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia
Flag of South Africa.svg SAP XII
Flag of South Africa.svg SA U21
TBCTBCN/A

See also

Notes

  1. 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).

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References

  1. "Spar Proteas aim to edge out Malawi at challenge". CityPress. 14 June 2015.
  2. "Proteas year in review". Netball Scoop. 24 December 2017.
  3. 1 2 "South African netball sides named ahead of Diamond Challenge". Netball South Africa. 24 November 2018.
  4. Luke Williams (20 August 2012). "Weakened South Africa triumphs over Malawi in Diamond Netball Challenge". Netball Scoop.
  5. "2013 Diamond Challenge (SA/Zambia/Zimbabwe)". Netball Scoop Forum Archive. 28 October 2013.
  6. "Plummer's Proteas shine to win Diamond Challenge". South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee. 21 June 2015.
  7. "2016 Diamond Challenge". Netball Scoop Forum Archive. 2 October 2016.
  8. "2018 Diamond Challenge in South Africa (27 Nov-1 Dec)". Netball Scoop Forum. 5 November 2018.
  9. "SPAR PROTEAS WRAP UP DIAMOND CHALLENGE TITLE DEFENCE". South Africa Netball. Facebook. 1 December 2018.