Mangaung beat eThekwini, Tshwane defeated Dr Kenneth Kaunda, and Nelson Mandela Bay triumphed over Alfred Nzo in senior A-division matches on day one.
Mangaung and eThekwini players in action during a match at the National Netball Championships in Cape Town. Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
After her team got off to a winning start on Thursday, Mangaung head coach Karla Pretorius believes the race for the title at the Spar National Netball Championships could go down to the wire.
With Johannesburg having lifted the trophy for the last four years in a row, the defending champions had a tame start on the opening day of the week-long domestic showpiece, drawing 44-44 against the visiting Namibia team in a friendly match.
The Cape Town district side, who were runners-up last season, also opened their campaign with a friendly fixture, claiming a 58-47 victory against Botswana.
But some of the other contenders made statements in official matches, with Mangaung beating eThekwini 54-47, Tshwane defeating Dr Kenneth Kaunda 55-47, and Nelson Mandela Bay securing a convincing 56-38 victory over Alfred Nzo in an Eastern Cape derby clash.
“That’s what you want in a competition like this. You don’t want one or two teams just dominating, and I think we’re in a position this year where any of the top five teams can be medal contenders and win the championship,” Pretorius said.
“It’s about who rocks up on the day and puts the best performance out there… and we need to make sure we’re on top form every time we step out on court.”
Learning from Proteas coaches
Pretorius, who represented the Proteas at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, admitted she didn’t have as much time as she would have liked with her Mangaung squad in the build-up to the tournament because she was on national duty.
However, the experienced international star felt her developing coaching skills had benefited from spending time with the SA team’s coaches in Glasgow.
“The national coaches are very good at the way they provide information, and you learn from those things,” Pretorius said.
“The Commonwealth Games is still fresh in my mind, so I’m learning from that and making it my own, and then hopefully applying it on this side.
“At the end of the day netball really stays the same. It’s about the strategies you put in place and then how well you execute it, and that’s what we all want to bring together.”
