Desert Jewelz eye Spar challenge success

By Michael Uugwanga

COACH of Namibia’s senior netball side, Julene Myers has said that her team will go to the upcoming Spar Netball Challenge to compete for success and not just to make up numbers.

The 2021 Spar Challenge will take place in Cape Town from 24 to 31 March and will see South Africa’s President’s XII, SPAR Baby Proteas (Under 21), Uganda, Namibia and Uganda 21 competing for top honours.

This past weekend Meyer and her technical team selected a strong and competitive team that will go to Cape Town and try to win the maiden Spar Challenge Cup under the noses of big guns such as host nation South Africa who are ranked fifth by the International Netball Federation (INF) and the evergreen Uganda senior team that is ranked seventh in the world.

In an interview with Confidente Sports Desk, Meyer who led Namibia to the 2019 M1 Nations Cup trophy in Singapore said that her team will go to Cape Town full of confidence even though she is aware that her side will need to be at its level best if it is to come back home with the trophy.

“We have progressed very well in the past 18 months however these players did not get lots of exposure due to Covid-19 restrictions that resulted in the closing of borders.

“The players have been training very hard. I am very happy with the squad we have selected.

We are not just going there to participate but to compete against top sides like South Africa and Uganda who are highly ranked in the world. 

“The good news is that South Africa will not have their foreign-based players available. I am looking forward to the tournament but on the other hand I am also nervous,” said Meyer.