VARSITY NETBALL HEATS UP THIS AUGUST

Cristine Struweg

@c_r_i_s_1_0

Fitting that the start of Varsity Cup Netball takes place at the heart of Women’s Month. 

These ladies have the chance to show off their hard work that they put in throughout the year. 

The North-West University (NWU), University of Free State (UFS) and University of Pretoria (UP) have played in five finals each since 2014, but it is UFS that has shown the most success over the years. UFS has managed to win every final they have played in, and they are looking to go back-to-back after beating the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in a nail biting final in 2024. UP has managed to win three out of their five finals and NWU has only managed to win two of their five finals.

The NWU have the biggest advantage going into this year’s Varsity Cup Netball. Their team has stayed the same throughout the Telkom Netball League, University Sports South Africa (USSA) Netball Championship and now for the Varsity Cup Netball. Other teams will feel the loss of some of their star players who have been selected for the Baby Proteas team that will compete in the Netball World Youth Cup later in September. UFS will miss key players in Bianca Lubbe and Karla Victore. UP must overcome their opponents without players like Luca Keun, Kayla Dames, Kiara van Eden and the Baby Proteas Captain, Phophi Nematangari. University of Stellenbosch (Maties) will feel the gaps that Renezia Andrews, Zahrah Noah and Lisa Ingwersen usually fill. Lastly, Dr Elsje Jordaan’s team will have to compete without the likes of Luané Smith and Giada Prinsloo. 

The tournament takes place from Sunday, 24 August to Monday, 29 September. They kick off at Maties Coetzenburg Indoor Centre with eight games. In early September the teams split up into Callie Human Hall in Bloemfontein for two games and NWU Mahikeng Great Hall for another two games. A week later UP will have the home ground advantage with eight games being played at the Rembrandt Hall. Lastly, they move to WITS Sports Hall before the playoffs begin. 

The stage is set to bring heaps of excitement, and a few teams have something to prove. All the games will be live on SuperSport’s Action channel. 

A preview picture for the NWU netball team (Source: VarsityNetball)

Edited by Mhlengi Khumalo