After seasons of near misses, the Crinums finally returned to the top with a flawless TNL campaign capped by a dominant final victory.
Pretoria, South Africa (17 June 2026) – After years of coming close and falling just short, the Free State Crinums are back on top.
The Crinums completed a remarkable unbeaten Telkom Netball League season on Monday night, defeating defending champions the Golden Fireballs 46-32 in Pretoria to lift the Division 1 title and claim their fifth championship crown.
In a repeat of last year’s final, the Crinums arrived determined to finish the job. Fourteen matches later, they had not lost a single game and capped off their dominant campaign with a composed performance when it mattered most.
For coach Martha Mosoahle Samm, the triumph was a fitting reward for a team that had consistently delivered throughout the competition.
“This is one of the most brilliant performances that the Crinums have put up since the beginning of TNL, I’m so proud of these girls. They were unshaken, going out there and being untouchable, knowing exactly what was needed and playing beautiful netball even during the final.”
The final started as a tense, evenly matched contest, with both sides matching each other goal for goal in a fiercely contested opening quarter. Defensive pressure came from every corner of the court as neither team managed to create any meaningful separation, ending the first period level at 11-11.
As the match settled, the Crinums began to take control.
Their defence, led by goalkeeper Liame De Lange, repeatedly disrupted the Fireballs’ attacking rhythm, while the shooting combination capitalised on opportunities at the other end. By halftime, the Free State side had opened up a five-goal advantage and carried all the momentum into the second half.
The defending champions struggled to find answers as the Crinums tightened their grip on the contest. Although the Fireballs made tactical changes in a bid to spark a comeback, the Crinums never looked rattled.
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A return to the summit for one of South African netball after going unbeaten all season.
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