The Baby Proteas continued with their 2025 Netball World Youth Cup winning streak as they dominated Fiji 86-35 in their final Pool D match. The two nations met for the fourth time and South Africa are yet to taste defeat against the Pacific Islanders.
Proteas coach Precious Mthembu’s charges plan. to carry their winning streak into the quarter-finals where they come up against Cook Islands for a place in the semi-finals. South Africa have never reached the last four of the global showpiece.
Mthembu made some changes to her starting seven, giving a few of the players that started the opening first three Pool matches a rest. As one would have expected, Baby Proteas were the first to draw blood and immediately put Fiji on the back foot with the fast-paced game. At the end of the first quarter, South Africa enjoyed a 23 -5 lead.
In the second quarter, South Africa managed to contain the Fijian attack and restricted them to scoring only seven goals in reply to the Baby Proteas’ 21.
The Championship quarter saw the Baby Proteas continuing to press Fiji and making sure that they restrict them in their own half. At the end of the quarter, South Africa led 67-22.
The final quarter saw Fiji fighting hard, but the Baby Proteas contained the onslaught winning the quarter 20-13.
South Africa vs Cook Islands takes place at 7pom (SAA time) on Thursday and will be streamed live on Netball Pass and Netball World Cup YouTube channel.
South Africa’s highest finish at the Netball World Youth Cup is fifth and Mthembu and her charges have set their eyes on improving that and doing better in this year’s edition.
