Team South Africa continued their impressive start to the 2026 Commonwealth Games netball tournament with a commanding 78-30 victory over Northern Ireland in Glasgow on Tuesday.
The win marked South Africa’s third consecutive triumph in the competition, extending their unbeaten record against Northern Ireland, having now won all four meetings between the two nations.
Northern Ireland made the brighter start, converting the opening centre pass to take an early lead. However, the Proteas quickly found their rhythm, tightening up defensively and capitalising on turnovers to seize control of the contest. South Africa gradually pulled away to claim a 14-8 advantage at the end of the opening quarter.
Head coach Jenny van Dyk shuffled her lineup in the second quarter, introducing Kamogelo Maseko and Jamie van Wyk. The pair made an immediate impact, helping maintain the intensity and fluidity of South Africa’s play. The Proteas outscored their opponents 18-10 in the quarter to take a comfortable 32-18 lead into the halftime break.
Van Dyk continued to utilise her squad after the interval, bringing on Sanmarie Visser, Tarle Mathe and Elmere van der Berg, while experienced campaigners Karla Pretorius and captain Khanyisa Chawane also returned to the court.
The changes did little to disrupt South Africa’s momentum. Instead, the Proteas produced their most dominant spell of the match, overwhelming Northern Ireland in the third quarter. A relentless defensive display limited their opponents to just four goals, while South Africa netted 21 to extend their lead to 53-22 heading into the final quarter.
With the result all but secured, Van Dyk rotated her squad once more to ensure every player gained valuable court time. South Africa finished in emphatic fashion, shutting out Northern Ireland completely in the final quarter while scoring 25 unanswered goals to seal a comprehensive 78-30 victory.
The convincing win keeps South Africa’s perfect record intact as they prepare for their toughest group-stage challenge against defending champions Australia on Wednesday, 29 July, with the match set to start at 22:00.
Quarter scores:
- Q1: South Africa 14-8 Northern Ireland
- Q2: South Africa 18-10 Northern Ireland
- Q3: South Africa 21-4 Northern Ireland
- Q4: South Africa 25-0 Northern Ireland
Final score: South Africa 78-30 Northern Ireland.
Images: Netball SA