The brave SPAR Proteas surprised England on their own terrain at the 2025 Vitality Nations Cup, with 61-59 victory favouring the Proteas ,at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham on Sunday, 2 February 2025.South Africa remains unbeaten in the tournament after an impressive 75-40 win over Uganda on Saturday in their opening match.

Before the match against England, who is currently ranked fourth in the world, the hosts had historically displayed better against fifth-ranked South Africa. England has routinely won their contests, securing victory in 52 out of 69 meetings, while South Africa has only secured in 16, with the remaining matches ending in a tie.
The game on Sunday was fiercely battled, with the scores even at the end of the first three quarters. South Africa started strong in the first quarter, but England rebounded to bring the score level. Both sides exchanged goals in the latter part of the opening quarter, with South Africa exhibiting patience defensively and determination in their offense. The score at the end of the first quarter was 14-14.
During the second quarter, both teams battled it out again, finishing a tight first half with scores at 30-30. It became clear that the final quarter would be crucial in determining the match’s outcome. With the score standing at 46-46 at the end of the third quarter, everything was set for an exciting finish.

In true SPAR Proteas fashion, the fourth quarter was their most dominant. Their performance in the final quarter, breaking through the hosts’ defense in quick succession.
With their impressive shooting, the SPAR Proteas built a reliable lead. With ten minutes remaining, the SPAR Proteas had a three-goal lead.
England struggled to keep pace with South Africa’s fast offensive play in the final quarter, aided by swift movements and agility. With seven minutes left, South Africa extended their lead to nine points.
A late rally from the home team was insufficient to tie the score, as they ultimately lost by two points, finishing the final quarter 13-15.
This victory of 61-59 propelled the SPAR Proteas to the top of the four-team standings.
SPAR Proteas head coach Jenny van Dyk expressed satisfaction with the outcome but stressed that hard work remains the mission to tackle. She praised the team’s efforts.
The task is not yet complete. We still have another weekend ahead and the final position that we need to secure. I am confident it’s secured, but we want to win that one as well. So there’s still much for us to achieve.
Sanmarie Visser, awarded player of the match for her exceptional performance, conveyed her belief that the team could reach even greater heights. She emphasized that the victory over England was critical for bolstering their confidence.
It means a lot. We were aware of what we would encounter when we got here. We had a solid game strategy, and it’s very significant for us to come here and beat England on their home turf.
The SPAR Proteas have a short time to prepare for their match against Malawi on Saturday, 8 February 2025, at the Copper Box Arena in London. The championship is set for Sunday, 9 February 2025, in London.