Proteas put to the test as Diamonds deliver harsh lessons

PROTEAS netball coach Jenny van Dyk feels that the Test series against the Australia Diamonds has been an eyeopener, exposing areas they will have to work hard on if they are to challenge the best in the sport.

- ROWAN CALLAGHAN

The world’s top-ranked netball team claimed a 3-0 series sweep, culminating in a commanding 65-42 victory over South Africa in Adelaide, Australia, on Sunday.

“One thing I can say is that the Aussie Test series was twice as hard as the New Zealand Test series,” Van Dyk admitted of the back-to-back series, where the Proteas failed to pick up a win, despite coming close in the final match against the Silver Ferns.

South Africa started strong in the final match of the tour and kept the Aussies on the back foot in the first quarter, but the world champions pulled away in the last three minutes, scoring seven unanswered goals to take the quarter 20-11.