Potchefstroom - It is semi-final time at the Netball National Championships at North West University’s Fanie du Toit Sports Ground on Friday, and you need not be a rocket scientist to predict which two teams will be left standing.
Indications are that Saturday’s senior A final will be a Gauteng derby between Tshwane and Johannesburg, the two teams having been the standout performers in the group stage.
Multiple national champions Tshwane went through the preliminary phase unbeaten after six matches with their neighbours from across the Jukskei having lost just once – 34-32 in the derby.
But before they can square up again, the Gauteng teams must negotiate their way past what is sure to be solid opposition, with Tshwane up against Mangaung and Johannesburg facing hosts Dr Kenneth Kaunda respectively.
They will both start as favourites, having beaten these sides 45-20 and 33-27 respectively in the preliminary stage.
Having missed out on last year’s tournament in Cape Town because most of their players tested positive for Covid-19, Tshwane returned to this year’s championships eager to reclaim their title.
And from the onset it was clear that they would be difficult to beat as they made light work of Dr Kenneth Kaunda via a 36-32 win in their opening match.
Coach Jenny van Dyk expressed delight at their 100% record, particularly given that they are a “new team”.
“It’s great that we have won all six matches,” Van Dyk said after their final group match – a 36-24 victory over Nelson Mandela Bay. “We didn’t have much time together to prepare and because of that, all we did was work on getting the connection between the players right. We didn’t have a lot of time to work on game plans.”
But because she knew the players as individuals, Van Dyk knew how to get them into a unit and is now on the verge of adding yet another major accolade to her highly decorated coaching CV.
Van Dyk has won no less than five senior national championships in charge of Tshwane, having also reigned supreme twice at Under-19 level as an assistant coach and four as coach with the U21s.
Hoping to play Johannesburg in the final, Van Dyk said: “I do hope for Joburg because they would be a great challenge for us because on paper, they are a great team. It would be fantastic to compete for the title against a team like that.”
Johannesburg’s co-captain Boitumelo Mahloko is also looking forward to helping her team take home the title.
“I am very excited to be in the semi-final because last year Johannesburg finished third and obviously, we want to break that, we want to go forward and be in a gold medal position. I am very excited because we are still on that journey to the final and we are nearly there,” Mahloko said.
The two teams should be warned though, for Mangaung and Dr Kenneth Kaunda are not going to just roll over and let them go through to the final.
IOL Sport