The U21 team has remained undefeated in all their games so far. South Africa’s best-ever finish at a Netball World Youth Cup is fifth.
Head coach Precious Mthembu made changes to her starting seven, giving opportunities to players who had not featured in the opening three matches. As expected, South Africa struck first, immediately putting Fiji on the back foot with their fast-paced game. By the end of the first quarter, the Baby Proteas held a commanding 23–5 lead.
The Baby Proteas then closed out the match in style, cruising to an 86–35 victory to secure their place in the quarter-finals. South Africa will now face the Cook Islands, runners-up in Pool A, with the game scheduled for 19:00 CAT.
Coach Mthembu expressed her happiness with the team’s performance so far.
“I am very pleased with the team’s performance today and with getting a win against strong opposition like Fiji.
“The result sets us up nicely for our quarter-final match against the Cook Islands. Fortunately, we had a practice game against them when we arrived, so we have a better understanding of what to expect tomorrow,” she said.