Don't compare us to Bafana Bafana‚ says Netball South Africa boss

Netball South Africa (NSA) president Cecilia Molokwane took a playful dig at Bafana Bafana on Tuesday when asked a question about comparing her Proteas team to other sides going to major competitions this year‚ like the SA soccer team.

She had just announced the 12-strong squad for netball’s World Cup in Liverpool in July.

“Don’t compare us to Bafana Bafana‚” replied Molokwane.

“We are number five in the world‚ I don’t know what number Bafana is in the world‚” she quipped‚ adding the netballers wanted to improve their ranking.

The SA soccer team is 73rd in the Fifa World Rankings and ranked 14th by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).

SA’s cricketers are already in England for their World Cup; Banyana Banyana will head off shortly to the Women’s World Cup in France; the Springboks will compete at the rugby showpiece in Japan from September to November; and‚ Bafana are gearing up to leave for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Egypt next month.

The Boks are also ranked fifth.

Molokwane quickly turned serious‚ however‚ saying the various national teams should back each other.

“We are not competing‚ we are complementing each other.

“We are all South Africans. Let’s support all these South African teams going to the world cups.”