The South African netball team has a pretty settled look about it, but if there is one position where the third player in line still needs to step forward, it is wing defence.
A player that could become a real contest for the position, or at least a deputy to Precious Mthembu, is Khomotso Mamburu of the Kovsies. Mthembu has made wing defence her own since Zanele Mdodana, now coach of the Maties, retired from netball in 2015. Rochelle Loubser of the Western Cape was mostly the second choice the last three years.
Mthembu turned 33 in July and as the oldest member of the Proteas, the spot might become vacant in the near future. Mamburu, a finalist for Varsity Netball Player of the Tournament last year, is still on the rise and just 22 years old. The LLB law student in her fourth year became the first wing defender in this year’s Varsity Netball to earn the FNB Player of the Match award. That was against the Madibaz on Monday.
“Getting recognised is amazing. It shows that I am doing something right, which is always encouraging and it motivates me to do more,” Mamburu said.
According to the SA Under-21 player last year, who received the Player of the Series against Wales Under-21, she is pretty satisfied with her current form.
“It can be better, however I am happy about the improvements I see in myself in every game. I am also becoming more consistent with my defence and attack. The sky is the limit for me right now.”
Another motivating factor for her is to emulate her boyfriend in donning the Green and Gold. She is in a relationship with the world champion in the long jump, Luvo Manyonga. They met last year.
In the meantime Mamburu said that the aim for Kovsies in Pretoria was to make sure of the 10 log points on offer and for all 12 players to get sufficient time on court. They won comfortably against the Vaal University of Technology (88-30), but had to fight hard against the much-improved Madibaz for a 51-42 victory.
“That encounter against the Madibaz was very tough physically. They came hard at us and forced us to stick to our guns right up until the end.”
