South Africa struck the first blow in the Spar Challenge netball series, holding their nerve to edge the opening encounter of the three-Test series with a come-from-behind 52-48 win at the Ellis Park Arena in the City of Johannesburg on Thursday, 29 January 2026.
Playing in front of a home crowd for the first time since 2024, there were a few nerves from the South Africans in the opening minutes. England capitalised to edge into a 3-7 lead. But once the Spar Proteas had settled, they produced some beautifully slick passages of play.
And an impressive defensive display from the likes of eventual Player of the Match Sanmarie Visser and Juanita van Tonder allowed them to quickly make up the deficit and even build up a four-goal lead by the end of the first quarter, which ended on 16-12.
The starting seven were clearly doing an excellent job for the hosts, and South African coach Jenny van Dyk stuck with the same combination for the second quarter, which was far less of a seesaw affair. The SA defence continued to make it difficult for the English as the Proteas maintained their four-goal cushion to the half-time break, which came with the score on 29-25.
Van Dyk made just two changes at the start of the third quarter, with Kamogelo Maseko coming on in place of Owethu Ngubane at goal attack and Nicola Smith, playing in her 50th Test, replacing Juanita van Tonder as goalkeeper. The combination took a while to settle and a change on defence from England saw the momentum shifting, allowing the visitors to close the gap and level matters at 31-31, eventually sneaking ahead.
Kyla Dames was brought on at wing attack, with captain Khanyisa Chawane moving to centre, while Van Tonder returned to the goalkeeper position during the third period, which ended with South Africa one goal down on 38-39.
The beginning of the fourth quarter brought more changes with Tarle Mathe returning to centre and Ngubane back on goal attack. And while a few lapses in concentration had the rowdy crowd slightly nervous that the home side were letting things slip, once the South Africans gathered their rhythm again, they fought their way back in front and then put their foot down to once again open up the gap and win the match 52-48.
“We had great momentum in that first quarter. Second quarter, we stayed in it, and we knew after half-time that they were going to come out with a full counter-plan.”
Proteas Head Coach, Jenny van Dyk
Speaking of their dip in the third quarter, she added: “We didn’t quite adapt to what they were giving us that well, and they came back into the game. It was a game of chess, making quite a lot of changes and making quite a lot of plans, but I think the players just stepped up and really showed that they wanted this win, and they battled it out all the way to the end, so that was fantastic.”
Despite the win, Spar Proteas captain Khanyisa Chawane admitted there was still work to be done.
“I won’t say it was the best game that we’ve ever played, but we stayed in it… Our defenders were trying to keep us in that game, and we were also making sure that whatever chances we could get, to actually capitalise, we did. I’m happy that we found ourselves in a position where we could actually finish strong.”
Spar Proteas Captain, Khanyisa Chawane
“That third quarter could have thrown us off and they could have just taken the win, but I think when we saw them coming, we regrouped ourselves and made sure that even those who were coming in were on the same page to finish this game strong.”
Chawane added that the team had played in black armbands to pay respects to the 14 schoolchildren who were recently killed in a tragic road accident.
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“We just came out to play for those kids,” she said. “They had all their lives in front of them that they would have loved to live and they didn’t get that opportunity because of that accident.
“So [we wanted] to go out there to play our hearts out to show our condolences as well to do our best for them.”
The second Test between the Proteas and England takes place on Saturday, 31 January at 5pm and the third on Sunday, 1 February at 4pm.
Spar Proteas vs the Vitality Roses Spar Challenge Netball Series at the Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg
Thu 29 January – South Africa 52-48 England
17:00 – Sat 31 January – Second Test
16:00 – Sun 1 February – Third Test
First Test Scoring: South Africa 52-48 England
Q1: 16-12
Q2: 29-25 (13-13)
Q3: 38-39 (9-14)
Q4: 52-48 (14-9)
Player of the Match Award
Sanmarie Visser
Spar Proteas Squad for the 3-Test International Friendly Series against the Vitality Roses
Khanyisa Chawane (C)
Kyla Dames
Jamie Golob
Thulisile Maduna
Kamogelo Maseko
Tarle Mathe
Owethu Ngubane
Refiloe Nketsa
Nozipho Ntshangase
Nicola Smith
Rolene Streutker
Elmeré van der Berg
Tinita van Dyk
Juanita van Tonder
Sanmarie Visser
Vitality Roses Squad
Halimat Adio
Imogen Allison
Jaz Brown
Eleanor Cardwell
Amy Carter
Beth Durant
Funmi Fadoju
Helen Housby
Natalie Metcalf
Lois Pearson
Razia Quashie
Jess Shaw
Liv Tchine
Fran Williams
Head Coach Jess Thirlby
Original Copy: BLDCommunications, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Tale Mathe, Spar Proteas Centre, controls the ball against England on the opening day of the Spar Challenge at Ellis Park Arena in the City of Johannesburg. South Africa defeated England 52–48 in the first of three Test matches on Thursday evening, 29 January 2026. All Photos: Reg Caldecott
Photo 2 Caption: Proteas Goal Attack Owethu Ngubane shoots for goal against England on the opening day of the Spar Challenge.
Photo 3 Caption: Spar Proteas Goalkeeper Nicola Smith earned her 50th international cap against England Johannesburg, on Thursday evening, 29 January 2026.
