Spar Proteas goal shooter, Potgieter will undergo surgery

Although the Spar Proteas will go into the Commonwealth Games without the services of experienced goal shooter, Lenize Potgieter, coach Dorette Badenhorst is confident the squad has players to cover all positions.

The Adelaide Thunderbirds player has missed a lot of national team action in recently, including the Quad Series earlier in the year. Potgieter took a six-month break from the sport last October following a nervous breakdown and was diagnosed with major depression disorder.

œLosing Lenize Potgieter is a huge blow for the team because she is a great player with a lot of experience but we have worked hard the past two years to strengthen the depth of the team. A player like Ine-marie Venter did very well in the starting line up and we trust she will give the team, says Badenhorst.

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Potgieter who was named in the final 15-player squad for the Commonwealth Games, was not able to take part in the recent two match test series against Wales before Netball South Africa announced that she wasn™t medically cleared to participate at this year™s Games.

œLenize was not cleared because of a physical injury. She will see an orthopedic surgeon and will hopefully be back on court soon, explains Badenhorst.

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The Proteas will be hoping to better their performance at the Games from the 2018 edition of the competition. South Africa have been picked in Group A of the competition alongside Australia, Jamaica, Wales, Barbados and Wales.

œThe two test games against Wales were a good preparation for us for the Commonwealth Games. I believe we can learn from these games and the mistakes we made. There™s also definitely good things we can take from these games. I will never say it will be easy to beat the top teams like Jamaica and Australia but I honestly believe in this team and the hard work they are putting in. And on a good day we can cause an upset, she says.

By Busisiwe Mokwena