Written by Maria Thompson
📷 - @englandnetball
Spar Proteas 65 - 50 Vitality Roses
Following their victory in Game 2, the Vitality Roses looked to clinch the series by fielding the same starting seven that finished the previous match. The question remained: could England take the series, or would South Africa’s grit and determination secure them a home win?
The first quarter opened with a South African center pass. The Proteas clinical execution allowed them to convert an early England mistake into a three-point lead before the Roses could find their second goal. Early gaps appeared in the England lines, leaving fans wondering if they could tighten up before the cracks widened. As the quarter progressed, Liv Tchine conceded an offensive contact; while England briefly regained possession, they couldn't hold it. Unforced errors from both sides showed a game yet to settle, though the momentum clearly favored South Africa.
England managed to close the gap to two goals, but a collective lapse in concentration across the court saw the deficit balloon to seven. The South African attack found increasing space to get creative, leaving the Roses reeling. As the first whistle blew, the pressure was on the head coach: stick with the plan or make a move?
The second quarter saw immediate action as Tchine was replaced by Helen Housby in hopes of a spark. While England scored off the opening center pass, South Africa’s relentless defense forced several turnovers, extending their lead to nine. With ten minutes left in the half, Funmi Fadoju was moved as Adio replaced Brown at the back.
The pressure continued to mount. With nine minutes remaining in the half, the lead hit 11 goals, prompting a tactical overhaul of the midcourt. Housby moved to GA, Pearson to WA, and Shaw to C, with Tchine returning at GS. In a final roll of the dice before the break, England swapped their GD and WD positions to disrupt the South African flow. However, the half ended with a staggering 15-goal deficit.
The third quarter began with Cardwell replacing Tchine at GS. The change had an immediate impact as England forced a center pass turnover, cutting the lead to 13. Yet, South Africa’s Ine-Marí Venter remained unfazed, her dominance forcing England back into defensive rotations—Brown returned at GK, while Carter moved to WD. During the shuffle, the captaincy was handed to Housby on-court. Despite the leadership and experience of Housby and Cardwell, the gap remained stagnant. The quarter ended 52–39 in favor of the hosts.
England took the first center pass of the final quarter, but it was quickly intercepted by a physical South African defense. While Cardwell continued to fight, South Africa showed their depth by bringing Streutker on at GS. Fadoju increased the intensity in the circle and Housby kept the scoreboard ticking, but the 13-point gap held firm with nine minutes to go. Unlike their performance in Game 2, England simply could not live with the defensive pace.
In the closing minutes, South Africa had the luxury of slowing the tempo, eventually extending their lead by two more. The match ended 65–50, a 15-point victory that secured the series for the Proteas.
In the aftermath, social media has been alight with fans calling for changes at the top. As the final test series before the NSL season, this result casts a long shadow over the Vitality Roses as they begin their buildup to this summer’s Commonwealth Games.
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