Norma Plummer enjoyed a triumphant return to her role as coach of South Africa's senior national netball team, courtesy of a runaway 61-42 victory over Scotland on Tuesday.
The Spar Proteas were always in charge of their Diamond Challenge opening match at the Rembrandt Hall at the University of Pretoria, winning all quarters at a canter.
Plummer, who led the Proteas to two World Cups — reaching the semifinals in Liverpool in the UK in 2019 — has been brought back as South Africa prepare to host the global showpiece in Cape Town in the second half of next year.
Against a Scottish side in a rebuilding process, the hosts dominated play, though looked rough around the edges at times, and will need some work before they are considered ready to impress on home soil.
In a frenetic first quarter, captain Bongiwe Msomi and her teammates were guilty of some stray passing and giving away possession somewhat cheaply. Nevertheless, they went into the break 14-10 to the good.
There was more of the same in the second quarter as ball turnover was the order of the 15 minutes, but the Proteas turned up the tempo towards the end with some fantastic passing that saw them pile on the goals. It was not surprising they were leading 27-18 at half time.
They added 20 more goals to Scotland's 12 in the penultimate quarter as the partisan crowd vociferously cheered them on.
They took the foot off the pedal in the final quarter and Scotland outscored them 16-12, but it was too little, too late, as the Proteas gave Plummer a winning return.
The South Africans play Zimbabwe on Wednesday.
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