The Telkom Netball League continued to deliver exciting early-season action in Durban, with one of the standout matches seeing the Jaguars and Fireballs in a tightly contested Gauteng derby.
Durban, South Africa (30 April 2026) – The Telkom Netball League continues to bring the energy in Durban, with fans packing into the DUT Steve Biko Campus this week as some of the country’s top netball talent battled it out during Power Week 1 of South Africa’s premier netball competition.
One of the standout fixtures on Tuesday evening saw the Jaguars emerge victorious in a fiercely contested Gauteng derby, beating the Fireballs 45–38 in a match that delivered intensity, momentum swings and plenty of crowd excitement.
The Fireballs came out firing early and held a 13–9 advantage at the end of the opening quarter, using their pressure in midcourt to force mistakes and disrupt the Jaguars’ rhythm.
But the Jaguars gradually settled into the contest, making key tactical adjustments to claw their way back before taking a 22–19 lead into halftime.
From there, the Pretoria-based side took control. Luane Smith was named Player of the Match after an influential performance in attack. After the match, Jaguars head coach Rozanne Matthyse said she was pleased with how her team responded after a slow start.
“It was a great game. I think we started a little bit slow, but our plan worked. We knew exactly what we wanted to do in this game. We wanted to execute from the beginning and overwhelm them by not giving them space on court, and I think my girls did very well.”
She also spoke about the integration of new players into the squad.
“They are a unit. They want to do this together, they want to do it for one another, and it shows on court.”
She also added that the focus within the camp is on continuous improvement rather than just results.
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“It’s not just about winning matches, it’s about focusing on ourselves and getting the things we’ve set out for ourselves right. And I think they did that well.”
As Power Week 1 reaches its midway stage, the league has continued to showcase the competitiveness of South African netball.
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