CAPE TOWN – As the 2023 Netball World Cup pressure mounting in all the participating teams, Spar Proteas wary of their opponents, Wales and knows what is at stake.
South Africa has been thrown into Pool C alongside Wales, Jamaica and Sri Lanka.
But a person who knows the importance of playing in front of their home crowd, is the goal defence, vice captain Karla Pretorius.
The 33-year-old East London born says they can’t shy away from the fact there is pressure and the team is working hard on training to master all areas.
The Proteas will kick off their campaign on Friday night, and Pretorius says the team is working overtime at training.
“We can’t wait for our first game against Wales tomorrow, we have been working hard at training making sure we tick all the boxes that need to be looked into. Personally, I have done a lot of hard work and obviously control what I can,” said Pretorius.
“I have learnt a lot from this group of players and make sure I believe in myself, I want to go out there and be the best I can and that is my aim.
“My focus is on this team, giving the best for this team and we know it’s the team sport – we want to make this team work like a well-oiled machine.”
Wales lies ninth on the current world rankings while the host nation is ranked fifth.
Pretorius says Wales is not a small nation – therefore they won’t underestimate them.
“I think it’s going to be a tough one going up against them, we want to achieve what we are going to work on while we work on our strategies and make sure that stick going forward,” she said.
“There’s so much pressure on us to get on the podium at the end of the tournament – because it’s home World Cup – we are feeling that.
“Ultimately we can only control what we can, doing the hard work and we’ve done that and making sure in terms of preparing for the game we are doing our best in terms of that.
With the prestigious event being on home soil, this might be the last world cup for some of the Spar Proteas players.
Pretorius says regardless of what might happen after the tournament, players will give out their best when they step out of the court.
“The focus of most of the players who are probably finishing up after this world cup will be grabbing this opportunity with both hands,” she said.
“Every time you step on the court you want to do well, and that is how we see it regardless of who we come up against.”
Image: Netball World Cup
