UMzantsi Afrika ugxeleshe iUganda kwakhona emva kokungomba iTonga

Nangona uMzantsi Afrika ungakwazanga ukuya kwisigaba sokugqibela setumente yehlabathi yalo nyaka – kodwa wona usathe chu nokuwabetha amaqela odlala nawo. Izolo iintombi zoMzantsi Afrika zivuthulule iTonga ngo’72-46 emdlalweni obutaka iintlantsi eKapa. Emdlalweni wayizolo, omabini amaqela ebesilwela indawo yesihlanu neyesithandathu. Ukuphumelela kweSPAR Proteas kuyinike elinye ithuba lokudibana ne’Uganda kwakhona evekini enye. Amantombazana kaNorma Plummer ayibethe i’Uganda ngo’52-50 emdlalweni ebekufuneka aqabele ngaphaya kwamashumi amathandathu ukuze afumane ithuba lokudlala emdlalweni wokugqibela weNetball World Cup 2023 ebanjelwe eKapa. Nakubeni iTonga ingezansi kwiSPAR Proteas kumanqwanqwa wehlabathi – kodwa iqhube kakuhle kakhulu kwikota yokuqala yomdlalo.

Abadlali beTonga abadlala emva bakwazile ukuthintela iifolosi zoMzantsi Afrika ezifana noTaljaard noVenter emdlalweni. Kuye kwanyanzeleka ukuba uPlummer afake uElmere van der Berg ukuze kube ngcono. Izinto ziguqukile kwikota yesibini. UPhumza Maweni noogxa bakhe bawuthathele kubo umdlalo bekhuthazwa yintswahla yabalandeli bomnyazi. Ngelishwa lamaqela adlale izolo, akwenzileyo akunakuwanceda aphumelele iNdebe yeHlabathi. UVan der Berg ubancomile oogxa bakhe emva kokuba echongwe njengomdlali oqaqambileyo. “Bendisoyika phambi kokuba umqeqeshi athi mandingene ebaleni. Kodwa bendisazi ukuba kufuneka ndenze eyam indima ukuze iqela lethu likwazi ukuphumelela umdlalo.

“Siqhube kakuhle no-Owethu Ngubane emva kokungena kwakhe ngoba bendimkhuthaza. Ndicinga ukuba sense umsebenzi omhle siliqela,” utshilo uElmere van der Berg. UPlummer oye wenza iinguqu uvumile ukuba abadlali bakhe bathathe ixesha elide ukuze baswabuluke ngoba bebesoyika. “Bebesoyika abadlali bethu – kodwa emva kwexesha, bakwazile ukwenza umsebenzi ngendlela ebesicwangcise ngayo. Zange iTonga yadlala noMzantsi Afrika ngaphambili. Ize apha izokulwela indawo yayo. Ndizingomba isifuba ngomsebenzi wabadlali bethu ngoba siye enkampini kathathu qha phambi kweNdebe yeHlabathi. Sibethwe emdlalweni omnye sadlala ntanganye komnye,” utshilo uPlummer emva komdlalo. Abadlali beSPAR Proteas bakhuthazwe nabubukho bukaSiya Kolisi oyinkokeli yeSpringbok.