The UFS netball team, the only university to have lifted the Varsity Netball trophy, will be eyeing a third consecutive title when the popular Varsity Netball series starts on Sunday.
And the Kovsies are in a very good position to do so. They have all but two players, who did duty for them last year, available again, including their star player Karla Mostert – last year’s Player of the Series.
Only Monique Lemon (wing defence) and goal shooter Zi-mari Smit was not available again for selection. Lemon finished her studies and Smit quit playing.
Also the UFS’ netball pride received a draw they would have accepted any day. They will play four games (against NWU-Pukke, UCT, UJ, VUT) at home, one (NMMU) at a neutral venue and only two matches away. Those two would be two tough ones though – UP-Tuks and Maties.
The talented 19-year old Lefébre Rademan, who was chosen for the South African under-18 squad in 2014, replaces Smit in the team of 12 players who played all the matches in the series last year.
Rademan is versatile and just as good at centre. The centre position should however be filled by vice-captain Lauren-Lee Christians who had a brilliant campaign last year, topping it with the Player of the Match in the final. She had since become the 12th Kovsie Protea since 2003.
Khomotso Mamburu replaces Sheri Duimpies who had to withdraw.
Head coach Burta de Kock will again be assisted by the captain of the national team, Maryka Holtzhausen.
Another Protea player, Adéle Niemand will assist with the defenders. Niemand and Holtzhausen were members of the Kovsie team who won the inaugural Varsity Netball series in 2013. The final takes place on 19 October.
Kovsies team: Goal shooters: Danelle Willemse, Dénielle van der Merwe, Rieze Straeuli, Lefébre Rademan; Centre court: Lauren-Lee Christians, Ané Botha, Dakalo Tshikala, Tayna Mostert; Defenders: Khomotso Mamburu, Maryke Coetzee, Alicia Puren, Karla Mostert (captain).
Click here for all the fixtures
By Ruwan Bruwer
