"How we start will determine how our World Cup will be" - Cecilia Molokwane
By Neo Poho
Netball South Africa President, Cecilia Molokwane believes a victory for the Spar Proteas in the opening match will not only give South Africans hope but it will also set the tone on how the World Cup will be for the Spar Proteas.
The Spar Proteas face nineth ranked Wales on Friday the 28th of July 2023 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in group C.
With the Spar Proteas finishing in the top four of the competition in the last edition, which was held in Liverpool; England, Molokwane says getting a better result than in the 2019 edition will be influenced by how the team starts the competition this year.
“The importance of winning the opening game will give South Africans the hope to say we are not just following the Spar Proteas but we are following a winning team on the contrast when you lose the first game on home soil it demoralises the people from watching the next game, will they go to the quarterfinals? will they make it? so the first win will certainly give South Africans hope.
We haven’t put so much effort and resources into this team for us not to end up on the podium, we have done something we had never done before, we did project victory with SuperSport and it cost a lot of money, we did that because we wanted the girls to get everything that they could so that they never have any excuses for not ending up on the medal podium," Molokwane said.
While the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa will visit the Spar Proteas leading up to the opening of the tournament, President Cyril Ramaphosa and his deputy Paul Mashatile will likely make a turn in camp to show support for the team as well as the hosting nation of the World Cup.
“I am also informed that the deputy president of the country will be at the opening ceremony and we are also informed that the president of the country will be here for the closing ceremony, as netball South Africa we are grateful to have the support from upper structures of this country and it has been confirmed that the Minister of Sport will be having breakfast with them and officially hand over the flag to them.
The Spar Proteas have also been receiving much needed support from the technical sponsor, Puma as the sportswear brand launched a store just a stone's throw away from the World Cup venue which is fanwear for spectators who will be turning up to the venue to support the team," Molokwane added.
The 16-team global spectacle will take place on African soil for the first time since the competition was established in 1963 and it kicks off on the 28th of July until the 6th of August 2023.
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