South Africa’s national netball team delivered a commanding performance to secure a 65-50 victory over England in the series decider at Johannesburg on Sunday. The Proteas demonstrated exceptional court dominance from the opening whistle, maintaining consistent leads throughout the match in what marked both teams’ final international test before the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
England captain Fran Williams offered a candid assessment of her team’s performance, stating: “We’re really disappointed with how we showed up today. We weren’t good enough right from the start of the game. Credit to the Proteas, they were better than us today in both defence and attack.”
The three-match series had developed into a compelling contest after England recovered from an initial defeat to level the competition on Saturday, setting the stage for Sunday’s winner-takes-all finale. However, the visitors struggled to match South Africa’s clinical execution and strategic precision throughout the decisive match.
With the international fixture concluded, both squads will now disperse to resume domestic commitments. England’s players return to their clubs ahead of the Netball Super League season, which commences on February 21st, providing valuable competitive opportunities ahead of the Commonwealth Games where these nations are expected to meet again.
The result provides significant momentum for South African netball while giving England’s coaching staff, led by Jess Thirlby, clear areas for improvement before the multi-sport event this summer.