Netball South Africa (NSA) confirmed on Tuesday that SPAR Proteas captain Maryka Holtzhausen will miss the Quad series against Australia, New Zealand and England later this month.

Holtzhausen tore a ligament in her right knee (ACL) playing for Free State in the SPAR national netball championships in Durban last week.  She will undergo surgery and will require up to eight months rehabilitation.

NSA Director of Selectors Christine du Preez said Gauteng goal attack Lindie Lombard from Pretoria would replace Holtzhausen.

“My heart bleeds for Maryka,” said Du Preez. “She was coming into her prime and playing the best netball of her life.

“She will be missed as a player and as a leader.  We expect her to be back in time for the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League next year.”

Lombard was part of the team that played in the Netball World Cup in Sydney last year. She made her Test debut in 2012. Ironically, her international career was disrupted by torn knee ligaments in 2012 and 2014.

“I really feel for Maryka,” said Lombard.

“I have had the same injury to both knees, so I know what she is going through. But I am thrilled to be back in the SPAR Proteas team, and I am looking forward to going to New Zealand and Australia and training under Norma Plummer again.

“It will also be very good to be playing internationally with Lenize Potgieter. We played together last week and our combination as goal shooter and goal attack really worked well.”

KwaZulu Natal captain Bongiwe Msomi will captain the SPAR Proteas on their tour.

Meanwhile, North West goalshooter Sigrid Burger has been given until the end of this week to be declared fit for the tour, after an ankle injury that kept her out of the national championships.  Another Gauteng player from Pretoria, 20-year-old Ina-Marie Venter, is on standby to take her place if Burger is unable to travel.

The team leaves on Saturday. Their first match will be against Australia in Auckland, New Zealand, on Saturday August 27.

SPAR Proteas team for Quad Series: Erin Burger (Western Cape), Lauren-Lee Christians (Free State), Rochelle Lawson (Western Cape), Lindie Lombard (Gauteng, captain), Izette Lubbe (Gauteng), Phumza Maweni (Western Cape), Karla Mostert (Free State), Bongiwe Msomi (KwaZulu Natal),  Precious Mthembu (KwaZulu Natal), Lenize Potgieter (Gauteng), Renske Stoltz (North West), Jeanie Steyn (Gauteng), Zanele Vimbela (Eastern Cape)