Netball Super League | Three VNSL players called up to South Africa squad

BATH, ENGLAND - JANUARY 28: during the Vitality Netball Superleague match between Team Bath and Surrey Storm at the University of Bath on January 28, 2019 in Bath, England. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images for England Netball)

Three Vitality Netball Superleague players have been called up to the South African Vitality Netball World Cup squad.

Bongiwe Msomi, Shadine Van Der Merwe and Maryka Holtzhausen of Wasps Netball, Surrey Storm and Severn Stars respectively will all be wearing the green and gold in Liverpool this summer.

Msomi, a dynamic wing attack, will captain her side who will go into the Vitality Netball World Cup as the fifth highest ranked nation at the tournament. The 31-year-old from Durban has had an impressive season in the Vitality Netball Superleague and helped guide Wasps to a third consecutive Grand Final.

Van Der Merwe’s selection was met with delight by her coach Mikki Austin.

She said: “I am so happy and proud of Shadine for her inclusion in the South African VNWC squad for this coming July.

“Shadine is a fantastic athlete who was a standout for us this year on court and off, culminating in her winning Surrey Storm’s Best and Fairest Award.

“We’ve worked very hard with Shadine this year towards this aim and I’m so happy it’s been achieved.”

Holtzhausen was the first player from South Africa to play in the Vitality Netball Superleague when she joined Loughborough Lightning in 2015.

She is the second player from her current club, Severn Stars, to be named in a Vitality Netball World Cup squad with her teammate Jodi-Ann Ward being selected in the Jamaican squad.

The two will face each other when South Africa take on Jamaica in the group stages on Sunday 14th July.

South Africa’s other opponents in the group will be Trinidad and Tobago and Fiji.

Make sure you’re following @NetballSL on Twitter for updates on how our Vitality Netball Superleague stars are getting on at the Vitality Netball World Cup!