South Africa will take on co-hosts Mexico in the opening fixture of the World Cup at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico City.

Bafana and Mexico have been drawn in Group A alongside South Korea and the Czech Republic.

Williams is relishing the opportunity to lead South Africa onto one of football’s most iconic stages when they face Mexico in their opening match of the World Cup.

“We will be playing in Azteca Stadium, and that will be historic for us,” Williams said.

“Words can’t describe how important that stadium is and what it means … not only to Mexico but to the entire world and the footballing nation.

“It’s amazing, I can’t wait to feel the atmosphere.”

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South Africa will take on co-hosts Mexico in the opening fixture of the World Cup.

The two sides have been drawn in Group A alongside South Korea and the Czech Republic.

Williams is relishing the opportunity to face Mexico but expects a tough showing against the host nation.

“Mexico is an amazing team and highly experienced. They have been a part of previous and recent World Cups, so they have loads of experience,” Williams said.

“They have got the quality players, and the most important thing is that they have got the supporters and fans and the home ground advantage. That is always key.

“But we are excited and will obviously analyse them thoroughly, watch their games, and I think it is going to be a good opening game against them.”

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South Africa arrived in Mexico on Tuesday after a long trip from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

Bafana will be based in Pachuca for the World Cup and will train at the Universidad del Futbol.

Hugo Broos’ men will have their first training session in Mexico this afternoon as they prepare to face Jamaica in a friendly before they take on Mexico in their World Cup opener.

“The boys have hit the ground running in Pachuca,” Bafana posted on their official X account.

“First session in the bank, and the energy is absolutely unmatched. The road to the World Cup starts with the grind behind the scenes.

“Let’s get to work.”

The boys have hit the ground running in Pachuca. First session in the bank and the energy is absolutely unmatched. The road to the World Cup starts with the grind behind the scenes. Let's get to work! 🇿🇦🔥⚽

​#BafanaPride@adidasfootball @adidasza @rexona_sa @standardbankza… pic.twitter.com/FO1We3k5Rm

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) June 3, 2026

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South Africa was forced to postpone its scheduled Sunday departure after several players and technical staff members were still awaiting their US visas.

However, a video shared on Bafana Bafana’s X account later on Monday showed the players at OR Tambo International Airport, preparing to depart.

“Bafana Bafana are finally heading to Mexico. All the best boys! make us proud and fly the flag high!” Bafana posted on X.

WATCH: Bafana Bafana depart for Mexico

🇿🇦 ✈️ Bafana Bafana are finally heading to Mexico 🇲🇽 All the best boys! make us proud and fly the flag high! 🇿🇦⚽🔥#BafanaPride@adidasfootball @adidasza @rexona_sa @standardbankza @10betza @freddyhirschsa @flysaa @castlelagersa @cocacolaza @sabcsport @nutritechfit… pic.twitter.com/zFxUAtqfyZ

— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) June 1, 2026

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The reveal, at the Jamaica National Stadium, came in front of more than 25 000 track enthusiasts from across the country, all gathering to feast their eyes on the future of Jamaican track & field.

It served as the perfect platform to showcase the cutting-edge apparel that will adorn the fastest athletes on the planet this summer in Paris – many of whom competed at this event in their teenage years.

Jamaica’s most prestigious athletes took centre stage for the grand reveal, including the likes of double, double Olympic Champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah; the fastest woman alive at the 200 meters, Shericka Jackson; reigning Olympic Champion at the 110m hurdles Hansle Parchment; the second fastest man of all-time, Yohan Blake; former 100m World Record holder, Asafa Powell; World U-20 Triple Jump Champion Jaydon Hibbert; Rushell Clayton, Ackeem Blake and many more. They were joined side-by-side on the track by young athletes from PUMA sponsored high schools.

The ISSA Boys & Girls Championships, often referred to as “Champs,” has gained immense popularity and recognition for its ability to showcase young Jamaican talent who have gone on to achieve greatness on both the domestic and international stage.

The Championships not only celebrate sporting excellence but also serve as a symbol of unity, passion and pride for the Jamaican community.

“Champs is the beating heart of Jamaica. For decades, it has produced an unimaginable number of Olympians, World Champions and World Record holders, who themselves have created some of the most memorable moments in sports history. Tonight, here in Kingston, we created another,” said PUMA’s Chief Executive Officer, Arne Freundt.

The new designs represent a perfect harmony of speed and fashion, reflective of the symbiotic relationship between these two giants of track & field.

Rooted in elite performance, they have been designed to evoke speed with cut lines strategically placed to accentuate the physique of the athletes whilst also providing a showstopping visual via Warpspeed graphics that emphasise the beauty of an athlete in motion. Engineered jacquard fabric is ergonomically shaped to contour the back muscles for heat reduction and breathability, with thermoadapt technology regulating body temperature to enable optimum performance.

“In their truest form these kits are an expression of speed. Speed has always been PUMA’s vantage point. It is what enables us to see the game differently, challenge convention and create moments that will live with us forever. We can’t wait to experience more in Paris this summer,” added Arne.

Maria Valdes, Chief Product Officer at PUMA, commented: “What makes these kits special is how closely they have been created in collaboration with our athletes. They are more than just a kit – they are a statement of the collective ambition shared between PUMA and Jamaica. They are a symbol of pride for the PUMA family, and we hope that they become a symbol of pride for Jamaicans this summer and long into the future.”

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England secured their place in the final following a 46-40 victory over defending champions New Zealand while Australia secured their spot after a 57-54 win over Jamaica in the semi-finals of the Netball World Cup.

Scotland 42-57 Wales

In their 11th matchup at a Netball World Cup, Wales beat Scotland 57-42 to move up to ninth place. With this win, Wales has now won six times in a row when they play Scotland.

The first quarter was very close, with both teams making quick passes and strong feeds into their own goal circles. Georgia Rowe and Phillipa Yarranton, who shot for the Feathers, made all of their shots. On the other hand, Beth Goodwin and Niamh McCall, who shot for the Thistles, missed six shots between them. The Welsh also had most of the ball in the first few minutes, which gave them a 12-10 lead after 15 minutes.

As the game moved into the second quarter, Wales kept picking up speed with smart interceptions and smart changes of play. Rowe and Yarranton kept doing what they were doing and only missed one shot on goal. Goodwin and McCall, on the other hand, had trouble finding the net again and let four valuable goals slip away. Ella Powell-Davies and Christina Shaw, who were on defence, were putting pressure on them, and it was clear that it was having an effect. At the halftime break, Wales had a four-goal lead (25-21).

Wales started the third quarter with the same seven players who had been on the court since the beginning of the game. Scotland made a few changes to try to turn the game in their favour. It didn’t seem to work, though, because Wales grew their lead to a comfortable 10 points (42-32).

In the last 15 minutes of the game, the Feathers kept up the pace, making the Thistles play catch-up. With seven minutes left on the clock, the gap grew to 11 points, making it impossible to catch up. Wales moved the ball down the court towards their goal circle, and Rowe and Yarranton made shot after shot to win.

Jamaica 54-57 Australia

In the second semi-final of the day, Jamaica and Australia produced yet another thrilling match.

In spite of a valiant effort to reach their first-ever Netball World Cup final, the Jamaicans were unable to pull off the second upset of the day after England’s victory over New Zealand, as Australia prevailed 57-54.

This is the third time in the tournament’s history that the Diamonds and Sunshine Girls have met in the final four. The Diamonds have won all three previous final-four meetings, most recently in 2015 when they went on to win their 11th title.

If they had achieved their goal on Saturday, the Jamaicans would have denied Australia a spot in a Netball World Cup final for the first time in history.

As expected, and following the pattern of the England vs. New Zealand semi-final earlier in the day, the first quarter was a close one, with the teams trading goals and reaching the first break tied at 14-14.

In her 100th match for Jamaica, Jhaniele Fowler was, as usual, a tower of strength and composure in the circle, with only one error. But it was custodian Shamera Sterling’s extraordinary effort to steal the ball from Cara Koenen at the other end that really boosted her team just as they were beginning to fall behind. The Sunshine Girls gained momentum and were able to score three consecutive goals to make up their deficit and level the scoreboard before halftime.

At the start of the third quarter, the confident-looking Diamonds increased their intensity. They were able to establish a five-goal advantage after forcing the Jamaicans to commit numerous errors. A number of Jamaican substitutions, including the introduction of Adean Thomas at centre, injected the team with energy.

Again putting their bodies on the line, the Jamaicans fought their way back to tie the score at 40-40. The Diamonds were able to regain their composure in the final minute to force a turnover, ensuring they would enter the final break with a two-goal advantage.

This advantage did not last long, however, as the Jamaicans quickly closed the gap and then took the lead at the beginning of the final 15 minutes. The Sunshine Girls regained the lead by returning to a shorter, sharper style of play and displaying greater patience with the ball. However, because Courtney Bruce increased the defensive pressure, the safe, short game did not last.

With less than five minutes remaining, Bruce caused a pivotal turnover by sending one too many dangerous high passes into the circle. In order to avoid the same fate as the defending champion New Zealand team, they needed this margin to pull away, apply more pressure, and ultimately secure a hard-fought victory.

While Australia had lost to England in their final group game earlier in the week, this was Jamaica’s first loss of the tournament, but it was the decisive loss that ended their quest for the gold medal.

England 46-40 New Zealand

With a close 46-40 win over the reigning champions, New Zealand, England reached the Netball World Cup final for the first time.

As soon as the game started, it was clear that England was nervous. Both teams were having trouble getting through the middle, with New Zealand holding balls and England’s defence led by Geva Mentor keeping things close.

New Zealand was the first team to find their rhythm and stick to their game plan, but players like Layla Guscoth kept bringing England back into the game. After the first quarter, England and New Zealand were tied at 9-9.

England’s shooting circle was still a little shaky as their defence worked. Helen Housby and Eleanor Cardwell were slowly getting into the game as New Zealand powered through the last five minutes of the quarter to tie the game at 20 each at halftime.

As the game kept going back and forth between these two teams, England put Jade Clarke in at centre for the third quarter, and Fran Williams then joined the fight.

The Silver Ferns finally took the lead when they intercepted a Nat Metcalf pass with three minutes left in the third quarter. However, England got back in the game when Clarke intercepted a pass, which led to a Housby goal on the hooter, bringing the score to 32-32 with one quarter to go.

As soon as Imogen Allison came back on at Centre in the last quarter, England got to work. A huge interception from Mentor in the circle kept the Silver Ferns from getting back into the game.

But New Zealand kept coming back into the game, and with five minutes left, they tied the score at 40 each.

With only four minutes left, a huge interception by Williams gave England a two-goal lead. Cardwell made it three goals before Housby added two more.

When England got the ball back with one minute left, the crowd went crazy. Cardwell added another point, and the bench cheered as England won 46-40.

Fiji 71-37 Trinidad & Tobago

After beating Trinidad and Tobago 71–37, the Fiji Pearls came in 11th at the 2023 Netball World Cup.

In the first half, Fiji Pearls did a great job and had a 34-15 lead.

Unaisi Rauluni was named the match’s best player, and she also got her 60th cap for the Fiji Pearls.

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South Africa 52-50 Uganda

Even though the Proteas beat Uganda in a close game in Pool G on Wednesday at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), their World Cup hopes are over.

A few hundred South Africans, including Olympian Chad le Clos, watched the Proteas win a close game 52-50 in front of a mostly empty CTICC.

The Proteas will now play for fifth and sixth place on Friday, but they don’t yet know who they will play.

To get into the World Cup semi-finals, the Proteas had to beat Uganda by 64 goals at the start of the game. After Jamaica beat the defending champions, New Zealand, 59-48, earlier in the day, this calculation was made.

The semi-finals of the World Cup were only a mathematical possibility, so the Proteas had nothing to lose when they played the other African team.

Early on, South Africa was in charge of the game, but Uganda fought back bravely. In the first quarter, the home team took a 16-11 lead thanks to the play of Ine-Mar Venter and Nichole Taljaard.

In the second quarter, the Proteas again had most of the ball and led 17-8. At halftime, they had a 33-19 lead.

In the third quarter, however, the Ugandans showed why they are one of the best netball teams in the world. They put the South African defence on the back foot.

Uganda’s best player was Mary Cholhok, who made all of her shots on goal. The visitors won the quarter, 17–8, and are only five points behind.

In the last quarter, the Proteas made a few changes, but the Ugandans came out strong again and kept cutting into the Proteas’ lead.

Soon, they were tied, and with a few minutes left on the clock, things weren’t looking too good for the home team. The crowd in Cape Town, on the other hand, stayed upbeat, and the Proteas were able to keep their cool and pull off a narrow win.

Elmeré van der Berg scored 11 goals in 13 tries, Taljaard scored 15 goals in 15 tries and was perfect, and Venter scored 26 goals in 28 tries.

Jamaica 59-48 New Zealand

In Group G’s last game, Jamaica and the defending champions, New Zealand, went head-to-head to decide who would come out on top.

Last year, in the Semi-Final of the Commonwealth Games, Jamaica beat the Silver Ferns in a very convincing way. They went on to win the Silver Medal in Birmingham. The Sunshine Girls won again, and their 59-48 win over New Zealand was the first time they beat them at a Netball World Cup.

After a close tie with the hosts, South Africa, late on Wednesday, New Zealand got off to a fast start and took the lead before Jamaica could score. But after tying the score at 10, they didn’t look back. Both goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler and goal attack Shanice Beckford made all of their shots in the first quarter. By the first break, the Jamaicans had a five-goal lead.

At the start of the second quarter, neither team made any changes to their lineup. It was another hard-fought quarter. The Silver Ferns looked better on offence because they kept their possession and scored one more goal than the Sunshine Girls. But the Jamaicans finished strong, so they still had a three-goal lead at halftime.

At the start of the third quarter, Khadijah Williams was replaced by Adean Thomas at wing attack for the Jamaicans. New Zealand’s coach, Noeline Taurua, stuck with her starting seven. Again, New Zealand had some good stretches of play and won the quarter by just one goal, but it wasn’t enough to catch the Jamaicans, who were playing hard.

As the pressure got higher in the last period, New Zealand’s game started to get worse. Romelda Aiken-George took over as goal shooter for the last few minutes of the game, but Fowler was named Most Valuable Player because she made all 49 of her shots and had a 100% shooting average. The defending champions lost by 11 goals, which was the most they had ever lost at a Netball World Cup.

Fiji 46-62 Scotland

The Thistles beat Fiji 62–46 in a Pool F match at the Netball World Cup 2023, while Scottish fans sang “Flower of Scotland” from the stands. With the win, Scotland moved up to play for 9th and 10th place, while Fiji will play for 11th and 12th place.

This was the sixth time that these two countries played each other at the World Cup. With Scotland’s win on Thursday, both teams now have three wins.

In the first 15 minutes, Scotland had a strong start with a commanding performance. In the middle of the court, where captain Claire Maxwell was playing in her third World Cup, good balls were passed to the shooters, who only missed one shot. At the other end, Scottish defenders Cerys Finn and Emily Nicholl put pressure on the Fiji shooters, which caused them to make more mistakes.

Starting the second quarter down by five goals, Fiji’s coaching staff made several changes on the bench and on the court. For example, Ana Nauqe moved from wing attack to centre and Josephine Nailumu moved from wing defence to goal defence. It worked, and Fiji won the quarter 18 to 16. At halftime, Scotland was ahead by 29 to 26.

Fiji played well before halftime, but they couldn’t keep it up because Scotland kept taking advantage of their mistakes. The Scottish shooters then took advantage of every chance that came their way in the circle and won the match with ease.

Australia 55-56 England

At the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town, England followed South Africa’s amazing game against New Zealand on Wednesday with their own. They beat 11-time champions Australia to win their first-ever World Cup game. Since their first match in 1956, this is only the eighth time that the Roses have won against the Diamonds in any competition.

Fran Williams, who plays goal defence for England, made a great deflection in the last few seconds that stopped Australia from getting a draw. With the win, England comes in first in Pool F, and Australia comes in second. Both teams made it to the semi-finals, which will be played on Saturday.

England took the lead early on because shooters Eleanor Cardwell and Helen Housby made the most of their chances. At the end of the first quarter, Funmi Fadoju’s late interception on goal defence gave England a 15-13 lead.

Sarah Klau took over for superstar Australian defender Courtney Bruce, and she made an immediate difference, helping Australia catch up and pass England to take a 32-26 lead at halftime.

In the second half, England began to close the gap with Australia.

With good play and some key turnovers, England won the third quarter 18-13 and was only one goal behind Australia going into the last 15 minutes.

Cardwell scored for the Roses early in the fourth quarter to give them the lead. Australia’s defence stayed strong, and England stayed calm in the high-pressure situation.

In the last few minutes, the game went back and forth, with neither team giving an inch. In the end, though, Australia lost at key times during the game, giving England an unexpected win.

Wales 70-55 Trinidad & Tobago

Thursday in Cape Town, Wales played Trinidad and Tobago for a spot in the 9th/10th playoff for the Netball World Cup 2023.

Eight times before at World Cups, these two teams played each other. Each time, the Caribbean team won. But on Thursday, the Welsh Feathers got off to a good start. From the start, Trinidad and Tobago looked a little flat and had trouble keeping hold of the ball. This gave the Welsh a chance to move ahead and score four goals before the first break.

In the second quarter, the game really got going. The Calypso Girls found some of the rhythm and style they had shown so far in the tournament, while the Welsh stuck to their plans and kept getting ahead of their opponents. Afeisha Noel of Trinidad and Tobago kept things interesting in the shooting circle by making both layups and shots from far away. Both teams scored 15 goals in the third quarter, so Wales still had a four-goal lead at the half.

In the third quarter, the Welsh came out strong, and Trinidad and Tobago’s defence was much worse. Wales was able to move quickly through the middle of the court to get the ball to their shooters. Georgia Rowe did a great job in the circle. The 6’4″ goal shooter finished a strong quarter for Wales with 13 goals out of 13 shots, giving her a 98% average for the whole game.

The last quarter was very close, with only one goal separating the two teams. However, the Welsh stayed strong and won a memorable 70-55 game.

Wales will now play for ninth place, and Trinidad and Tobago can finish no higher than eleventh. The Welsh are currently ranked 9th and the Calypso Girls are currently ranked 11th in the World Netball World Rankings.

Photo by Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

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Wales 56-73 Uganda

Uganda defeated Wales 73-56 in Pool G action at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town, displaying yet another dominant performance.

Mary Cholhok, who played the first three quarters and converted 42 of her 44 shots, was once again a pillar of strength for Uganda. Her performance has vastly improved since joining the UK’s Super League. She dominated the circle through deft footwork and precise shooting.

Both teams entered the second quarter with the same seven players. Despite being unsatisfied with his team’s defensive performance, Uganda coach Fred Mugerwa maintained confidence in Stella Nanfuka and Christine Nakitto, whose work in the Wales circle kept the Welsh in the lead.

Before halftime, Lilian Achola replaced Margret Baagala (suspected malaria) in the centre position for Uganda. Achola is the shortest player in the World Cup at 1.58 cm. The She Cranes held a nine-goal advantage (36-27) at the conclusion of the first half.

In the third quarter, Wales shifted Ella Powell-Davies to goal defence and introduced Christina Shaw as custodian in an effort to halt Cholhok’s flow of high-quality passes. It did not appear to bother the She Cranes star as she continued to focus on the task at hand: keeping her team in the lead.

At the other end of the court, Nakitto and Falidah Kadondi, who replaced Nanfuka, did not allow the Welsh shooters any breathing room. They restricted their mobility and minimised scoring opportunities.

Cholhok remained on the Uganda bench for the beginning of the final 15 minutes, as Viola Asingo replaced her in goal. Cholhok had done enough to help her team to a comfortable lead. Baagala also returned to the centre.

The teams tied in the fourth quarter (15 each), but that did not prevent Uganda from claiming their first World Cup victory over Wales.

Zimbabwe 68-40 Singapore

Zimbabwe won their second game of the Netball World Cup 2023 on Wednesday when they defeated Singapore 68-40 in Pool E action in Cape Town. They will now compete for the 13th/14th position, while Singapore will compete for the 15th/16th position.

The result demonstrates Zimbabwe’s superior position in the world rankings, thirteenth compared to their opponents’ ranking of twenty-eighth. The World Cup in Cape Town is the second for the Gems, while Singapore has competed in 11 tournaments and served as host in 1983 and 2011.

The Gems established a commanding 15-goal lead in the first quarter by controlling the midcourt with deft passes and speed. The shooters Nalani Makunde and Nicole Muzanenamo had only one miss between them. At the end of the first half, with a score of 38-19, the African team maintained a comfortable lead.

In the third quarter, Zimbabwe faced an energised Singapore team that had been revitalised. Jamie Lim and Reena Manogaran performed admirably as defenders, deflecting shots and making successful recoveries, despite the fact that other aspects of the team’s effort were lacking.

In the fourth quarter, Zimbabwe regained momentum, led by the game’s Most Valuable Player, keeper Elizabeth Mushore. Due to her height advantage, her formidable presence in the circle posed challenges for the Singaporean shooters.

Zimbabwe entered the World Cup with high hopes after finishing eighth at the 2019 tournament, but they have failed to finish in the top 10 in Cape Town.

Jamaica 89-26 Trinidad & Tobago

Today in their second Pool G match in Cape Town, South Africa, Jamaica defeated Caribbean rivals Trinidad and Tobago by a score of 89-26 to advance to the World Cup semifinals.

Theresa Aiken George led the team in goals with 38, while Shanice Beckford scored 20. Captain Jhaniele Fowler contributed 16 points, while Rebekah Robinson scored 15 points.

Defensively, Jamaica limited Trinidad to 10 points in the first half, and despite Trinidad’s improvement in the second, the Caribbean side only scored 16 times.

Jamaica is currently in first place in Group G with 8 points. If defending champions New Zealand defeat hosts South Africa in their upcoming match, Jamaica will qualify for the semi-finals prior to their 11am match against New Zealand tomorrow.

South Africa 48-48 New Zealand

The Proteas put in a hard shift to earn a thrilling 48-48 draw against New Zealand at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

As one of the tournament favourites, New Zealand won the first three quarters. The looked to be overwhelming favourites in the clash of fluctuating fortunes, but conceded an equaliser that kept the hosts alive for a spot in the semifinals.

The Netball Proteas entered the match needing to win at all costs, but the draw leaves the door slightly ajar, given the complex permutations of the tournament.

The first three quarters concluded with New Zealand holding slim one-, five-, and four-point leads over the Proteas. The Proteas were buoyed by the near-capacity crowd’s vocal support.

South Africa did not want to lose and fought valiantly in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points to New Zealand’s 10 to win 14-10.

The thrilling first quarter concluded with the Silver Ferns holding a one-point lead, 11-10, but South Africa could have been in front if not for Venter’s poor finishing.

Plummer substituted Elmeré van der Berg for Venter at the end of the second quarter after Venter’s unusually sloppy play in the goal circle let New Zealand off the hook.

In the second quarter, New Zealand increased their lead to five points, but South Africa fought back in the fourth quarter to force a tie.

Photo by Nic Bothma/BackpagePix

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South Africa 69-28 Trinidad & Tobago

The Proteas got back on track with an easy win over Trinidad and Tobago on Monday at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

The second stage of the Proteas’ game went smoothly, and they won 69-28 in front of a mostly empty CTICC.

The first quarter was a lot of fun. Ine-Mar Venter got the Proteas off to a great start by making 13 of 15 shots. South Africa won the quarter 18-12.

In the second quarter, the Proteas won because it was easy for them to find goal shooters Nichole Taljaard and Venter, who was having trouble and had lost her shooting range. The home team won the first quarter, 15–3.

Norma Plummer made changes when the Proteas had a comfortable 18-point lead. Elmere van der Berg replaced Venter, and Taljaard moved from goal attack to goal shooter.

This worked out when the other team came up against them. The two players worked well together with Khanyisa Chawane at wing attack, and the Proteas won the third quarter 18–6 to increase their lead.

In the last quarter, Taljaard and Van der Berg switched places to give Taljaard more freedom. Taljaard ended up scoring 24 goals out of 30 shots, which is 80 percent.

South Africa did a great job in the middle, where Bongi Msomi (16 points), Khanyisa Chawane (12 points), and Izette Griesel (11) all helped set up goals.

With seven minutes left, Owethu Ngubane replaced Taljaard at goal attack for her first World Cup game. Lenize Potgieter got hurt and had to leave the team, so Ngubane was called up.

In the last quarter, South Africa again dominated. They won the quarter 18-7, giving them a commanding 69-28 win to end the game.

South Africa’s next Pool G game will be on Wednesday at 16:00 against New Zealand.

Tonga 46-72 England

In their first match of the second stage of the Netball World Cup, England defeated Tonga 72-46 after a hard-fought battle.

Funmi Fadoju and Eleanor Cardwell were reinstated to the starting lineup after coming off the bench against Scotland, with the Goal Shooter making an immediate impression as England fought hard.

Tonga fought back at the end of the first quarter, leaving England with a less than comfortable 19-14 lead.

Cardwell and Helen Housby exchanged positions up front in the circle during the second quarter, and England increased their lead to 38-22 at the halftime break of a tense and physical match.

In the third quarter, Layla Guscoth and Jade Clark entered the fray, and although it was a much tighter 15 minutes, England showed their class to take a 54-36 lead with one quarter remaining.

England exerted significant effort in the fourth quarter, but Tonga’s physicality ensured a 72-46 victory.

Australia defeated Scotland by a score of 76-37, while the Silver Ferns defeated Wales by a score of 83-34. Jamaica also defeated Uganda 61-49, while hosts South Africa defeated Trinidad and Tobago 69-28.

Jamaica 61-49 Uganda

Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls have won four consecutive matches at the Netball World Cup, defeating Uganda 61-49 in their quarterfinal round opener on Monday in Cape Town.

At the conclusion of the first quarter, the gold medal favourites, the Jamaicans, held a 15-12 advantage. They subsequently increased their lead to 38-21 at the half.

Jhaniele Fowler, captain and goal shooter for the Sunshine Girls, had an outstanding first half, scoring 28 goals on 28 attempts.

She was ably assisted by goal attack Shanice Beckford, who scored 10 goals on 10 attempts.

At the start of the third quarter, however, Jamaica’s head coach Connie Francis made four substitutions, replacing Fowler with Romelda Aiken-George and Beckford with Rebekah Robinson in the attack.

Shamera Sterling was replaced by Kadie-Ann Dehaney as goalkeeper, and Adean Thomas was replaced by Nicole Rochester-Dixon in the centre position.

The moves cost the Jamaicans dearly, as they were outscored by the Ugandans 16-11, but they still maintained a 49-37 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Aiken-George finished the game with 15 goals on 15 shots, while both teams scored 12 goals in the fourth quarter, with the Sunshine Girls coming out on top.

Robinson scored eight goals on nine attempts for Jamaica. Mary Cholhok led the Ugandans in scoring with 28 goals on 33 shots.

Sri Lanka 52-55 Singapore

Singapore beat their Asian rivals Sri Lanka 52-55 in their Pool E clash at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town.

Singapore got off to a quick start. and in just over a minute, they were up 3-0. A lead they didn’t give up in the first quarter. After a run of four straight points, the lead went from 8-15 to 9-18. Sri Lanka had 6 general play mistakes, including 4 intercepted passes, while Singapore didn’t make any. At the end of the first quarter, Singapore was ahead 10-19.

Sri Lanka needed to change things, so Tharjini Sivalingam was replaced by Thishala Algama. Sri Lanka began to flow freely after the change, which showed how it affected things. By the fourth minute of the second quarter, it was 15-22. After two 5-0 runs at the end of the quarter, Sri Lanka went from being behind 17-25 to being ahead 22-25 and then 27-26 at half time.

Sri Lanka beat their opponents by a score of 17 to 7. Sri Lanka only had three turnovers and two interceptions, while Singapore had seven turnovers and three interceptions because of Sri Lanka.

Fiji 48-62 Malawi

Malawi beat Fiji 62–48 in Group F on Monday at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town, despite Fiji getting off to a fast start. The crowd was a big help.

The only other time Malawi and Fiji met at a Netball World Cup, in Christchurch in 1999, Malawi beat them 68-45.

In April 2023, at the Pacific-Aus Series on the Australian Gold Coast, the Queens beat the Pearls 54-47.

Midway through the first quarter, Joyce Mvula scored nine goals in a row without Fiji responding. This put Malawi ahead of Fiji.

At the other end of the court, defenders Jane Dambo and Towera Vinkhumbo were solid, giving the Fijian shooters no room to breathe.

At halftime, the Queens were ahead by a comfortable 36–23 margin.

Before the halftime break, Fiji coach Unaisi Rakoura made a few changes to try to stop Malawi from making good plays and give her team more energy.

In the second-to-last quarter, Fiji came out swinging, not wanting to give Malawi an easy win. In the third quarter, they tied with the Queens (11-11).

In the last 15 minutes, the Malawi Queen’s midfielders did a great job of controlling the ball and making more scoring chances while also making it harder for Fiji to counterattack.

Even though Fiji had more than half of the ball in the fourth quarter, Malawi had more of it overall, giving their shooters plenty of chances to keep the scoreboard moving.

Wales 34-83 New Zealand

As the Silver Ferns team took the court Monday to play Wales in the Netball World Cup, the news that goal shooter Grace Nweke will no longer be playing in the tournament in Cape Town was looming over them.

Nweke limped off the court with a knee injury during New Zealand’s match against Singapore on Sunday. At first, it seemed like the injury wasn’t too bad, but a day later, it was announced that Nweke had a partial tear in her patella tendon and that Tiana Metuarau, a travelling reserve, would be taking her place in the team.

Maia Wilson started the game against Wales as the goal shooter, and she did a great job. She made 29 out of 29 goals in the first half, giving the Silver Ferns a 40-16 lead at halftime.

She kept her perfect record going into the third quarter and helped New Zealand score 20 more goals, which earned her the Most Valuable Player award.

Metuarau played in her first Netball World Cup game when she took over for Ameliaranne Ekenasio with just over five minutes left in the third quarter. She looked right at home as the Ferns kept their lead.

Even though Wales did better in the fourth quarter and there were only six goals between the teams, the defending champions had no trouble finishing off the 83-34 win.

Zimbabwe 45-62 Barbados

Barbados defeated Zimbabwe 62-45 in Group E action during the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town.

At the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool, Zimbabwe’s 66-41 victory gave them bragging rights, but this time it was the Bajan Gems’ turn to shine.

Initially, it appeared Zimbabwe would be able to keep up with their opponents, as the score was still within reach. However, a number of crucial interceptions and deflections frustrated Barbados, allowing them to pull away.

As the first 15 minutes came to a close, the Bajan Gems found their footing thanks to a string of goals scored by Kadeen Corbin.

In addition, Barbados deprived Zimbabwe of crucial possessions, a trend that continued into the second quarter.

Barbados entered the halftime break with a commanding lead of 35-16.

Zimbabwe performed significantly better in the second half, outscoring the Bajan Gems by two goals (29-27), but it was not enough to secure the victory.

Australia 77-37 Scotland

Australia and Scotland met for the tenth time at a Netball World Cup when the second stage of preliminary play began Monday morning at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The Thistles were facing the 11-time world champions, who had scored 20 or more goals in all but one of their previous tournament quarters.

Scotland coached by Tamsin Greenway made a promising start to the game, displaying a high level of intensity.

The 10th-ranked team, however, struggled with consistency and quickly fell behind, trailing 21-9 at the first break to the Australians.

Australian captain Liz Watson replaced Jamie-Lee Price in the second quarter after the centre was cautioned at the end of the first, and Sunday Aryang replaced Jo Weston at goal defence, as Greenway made as many substitutions as possible to give as many players as possible the opportunity to compete against the top-ranked team in the world.

Goal attempt Sophie Garbin kept the scoreboard moving for the Diamonds, scoring 38 of Australia’s 43 goals at a 95 percent clip by halftime.

Scotland, as they did in their match against England on Sunday, enjoyed an impressive third quarter, limiting Australia to 15 goals while scoring 11 of their own.

At the beginning of the fourth period, the Thistles maintained their momentum by increasing their intensity, while the Diamonds’ play appeared to become somewhat sloppy as they appeared to take their foot off the gas.

The Diamonds quickly regained their footing and won the fourth quarter by nine goals, securing a 76-37 victory.

Photo by Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

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Jamaica 67-49 South Africa

The Proteas suffered their first defeat of the Netball World Cup following their 67-49 loss to Jamaica in a tightly contested Pool C encounter at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The stadium was packed, but the enthusiastic crowd couldn’t help the Proteas over the line.

Jamaica were in control from the start. and led in all four quarters and had a 32-26 lead at the half.

Lenize Potgieter played in her first World Cup game with a minor injury, but she quickly showed what a good player she is.

Before halftime, Potgieter had never missed a shot and had scored 17 goals in 17 tries.

The Proteas looked more tired when they came back for the second half because they only scored three goals while Jamaica scored 18.

The Proteas made silly mistakes and missed quick shots, and they were behind 51–29 with one quarter to go.

South Africa came back, but they couldn’t stop the Caribbean team from scoring. At the end of the game, the score was 67-49.

Potgieter was the best shooter for the Proteas because she made 17 goals out of 17 tries.

Nichole Taljaard, on the other hand, made only 11 of her 14 shots, and Ine-Mar Venter made 8 of her 9 shots.

Only four of Elmeré van der Berg’s eight shots hit the mark.

Because of the loss, South Africa will finish second in Pool C, behind Jamaica, which will win the group.

Uganda 74-34 Trinidad & Tobago

The She Cranes cruised to a comfortable 74-34 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in their final Group D match.

The She Cranes finished second in Group D behind New Zealand, the only team to defeat Uganda in the ongoing South African tournament.

Mary Nuba, who replaced Christine Namulumba at the beginning of the second period, dominated the shooting circle with 35 goals, including a couple of beautiful layups.

Irene Eyaru and Shadiah Nassanga scored 18 and 17 goals, respectively, while Margaret Baagala continued to excel in the middle with 39 assists.

In the opening exchanges, Uganda appeared shaky and trailed 4-1, but later found its rhythm and assumed control.

They held a 14-11 lead after the first quarter and a 33-18 advantage at halftime.

The She Cranes were dominant in the second half, defeating Trinidad 41-16 to assert their dominance.

Afeisha Noel scored 29 goals for the Calypso Girls that evening, but it was not enough.

Uganda will face South Africa, Jamaica, and Wales in the second preliminary round, where they will be regrouped.

England 62-37 Scotland

After beating Scotland 62–37 in the first round of the Netball World Cup preliminaries, England finished on top of Pool D.

After beating Barbados and Malawi, England made a change up front in the first quarter. Olivia Tchine started at Goal Shooter for the first time in the tournament, while Helen Housby played Goal Attack and Eleanor Cardwell sat on the bench.

Scotland had most of the ball early on, but England fought back thanks to Housby and Chelsea Pitman’s movement around the court. After 15 minutes, England was ahead 14–9 in a close game.

Scotland kept playing with confidence in the second quarter, but England’s experience kept them on top. Geva Mentor and Fran Williams’ defensive work slowed down Scotland, giving England a 31-18 lead at the half.

At halftime, England made some changes. Funmi Fadoju took over as custodian, and Helen Housby was replaced by co-captain Nat Metcalf at goal attack.

With one quarter left to play, England was ahead 46-29 thanks to Fadoju’s interceptions and Tchine’s great play in the circle.

Cardwell took over at Goal Shooter for the last quarter and picked up where Tchine had left off. England took control and kept going, winning 62–37 and coming out on top of Pool D.

Malawi 84-48 Barbados

The Malawi Queens beat Barbados 84-48 on Sunday to win their second game at the Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town.

Malawi played in their 50th Netball World Cup game since their first one in 1995.

The tournament has been hard for Barbados, who lost their third game in a row.

Malawi took charge of the game from the first whistle, showing strategic play that made it hard for Barbados to keep up.

The Bajan Gems had difficulty finding their own attacking rhythm because of how well the Queens passed the ball and how strong their defence was.

When Thandie Galetta took over for Jane Chimaliro at wing attack to start the second quarter, the African team’s lead grew even more.

In the next 15 minutes, Barbados was under constant pressure, and Malawi’s defenders did amazing things to stop their opponents from moving forward. At halftime, Malawi had a strong lead of 43-22.

At the start of the second half, the Bajan Gems worked hard. Kadeen Corbin scored the first goal, which showed that they wanted to close the gap.

But Malawi’s experienced defenders, Towera Vinkhumbo and Jane Dambo stood strong, and when Barbados had the ball, they gave Malawi chances to score.

In the third quarter, Malawi pulled ahead with a strong attack in the middle of the court that left Barbados puzzled.

Even in the last 15 minutes, the Queens were still in charge, setting the pace and making it impossible for Barbados to come back.

New Zealand 80-19 Singapore

Defending champions New Zealand concluded Group D play with a decisive 80-19 victory over the tournament’s lowest-ranked team, Singapore.

Four years after defeating the same opponent by 68 goals at the previous Netball World Cup in Liverpool, few would have predicted anything other than another victory for the Silver Ferns on Sunday.

Despite Singapore’s speed and promising start, they were outclassed in every facet of the game, scoring only seven goals in the first quarter and two in the second as New Zealand assumed command.

By halftime, the Silver Ferns had amassed a 32-goal lead over Singapore custodian Jamie Lim on her 23rd birthday.

The inaccuracy of the Singaporeans’ goal-shooting cost them once more, with neither shooter averaging over 55 percent.

While New Zealand cruised to an easy 80-19 victory, goal shooter Grace Nweke appeared to limp off the court in the third quarter and was seen icing her knee on the sidelines, causing cause for concern.

Wales 68-56 Sri Lanka

The was a lot on the line in their final Group C encounter as both Wales and Sri Lanka were vying for their first victory of the World Cup.

Only the top three teams in each pool advanced to the second stage of the preliminary competition, and it was the Welsh Feathers who prevailed with a 68-56 victory to earn a spot.

Despite the fact that the Sri Lankans stayed within striking distance for the majority of the first quarter, the Welsh were able to take a six-goal lead into the first interval due to their excellent interceptions.

Tharjini Sivalingam, the tallest player in the tournament at 2.06m, came on as goal shooter after the main break and made all the difference, as the Sri Lankans produced their most productive quarter.

However, a 10-goal deficit at the end of the period proved impossible, and with goal shooter Georgia Rowe completing a near-perfect performance in the Wales circle by scoring 49 goals out of 50 attempts, the Feathers secured the decisive 68-56 victory.

Australia 101-32 Fiji

With 18 positions separating them in the most recent World Netball World Rankings, an emphatic victory for Australia (1) over Fiji (19) was virtually assured.

The top-ranked team in the world has yet to lose a quarter at the 2023 Netball World Cup. This was the second 100-goal score of the NWC2023, the third for Australia in all Netball World Cups, and the fifteenth in the event’s history.

Maliana Rusivakula scored the opening point for Fiji, but Cara Koenen quickly returned the favour for Australia on the other side of the court.

Fiji, coming off a stunning victory over Zimbabwe on Saturday, held on for the first five minutes of the match. However, Australia found their rhythm and began to build a healthy lead.

The Diamonds’ effortless movement resulted in attractive offensive play for which their opponents had no response.

Fiji head coach Unaisi Rokoura, who competed in the 1999 and 2003 World Cups, replaced Rusivakula with Lydia Panapasa as goal shooter and goal attack respectively in the second quarter.

Josephine Nailumu (goal defence) and Ana Moi (wing defence) also took to the court to thwart the relentless Australian attack. The Australian squad did not change.

Even though possession was evenly distributed in the first half, Australia had a firm grip on the game due to its superior goal-shooting percentage. They entered halftime with a 46-18 lead.

Ash Brazill was the only player who had not yet appeared in the game when the third quarter began, and a new-look Australian squad assumed its position.

Sophie Garbin deflated Fiji’s sails by firing three shots in quick succession, followed by five more in quick succession.

Australia scored 26 points in the third quarter and 29 points in the final 15 minutes of the game, their highest output over three days of competition.

Photo by Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

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