Netball League (South Africa)

Telkom Netball League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event Telkom Netball 2024
SportNetball
Founded2014
First season2014
No. of teams15
Country South Africa
TitlesTelkom Netball League Division 2
Most recent
champion(s)		Gauteng Jaguars (2023) (6th title)
(2024)
Most titlesGauteng Jaguars (6 titles)
Current Supporters' ShieldKZN Kingdom Stars
(2024 Telkom Netball League Division 2)
Current shieldTelkom Netball League Division 2
TV partner(s)SuperSport (South Africa)
Sponsor(s)Telkom
Official websitehttps://netball-sa.co.za/telkom-netball-league/

The Netball League of South Africa (known for sponsorship purposes as the Telkom Netball League) is the leading semi-professional netball league in South Africa.

History

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Logo of the league when it was sponsored by Brutal Fruit

On 16 April 2014, Netball South Africa announced that the first semi-professional netball league ever to play in Africa would be launched. Juicing company Brutal Fruit (subsidiary of South African Breweries) were signed as the league's naming-rights sponsor for five years, ensuring the competition would be known as the Brutal Fruit Netball Cup. Ahead of the 2019 competition the sponsorship deal expired and the league was sponsored by Telkom.[1] The inaugural championship was contested by 10 teams from all nine South African provinces, played over a five-week period. The top five provincial teams formed Division 1, with the remainder forming Division 2. The first competition ran from 10 May 2014 to 7 June 2014. All matches were held in the Rembrandt Hall at the University of Pretoria and were broadcast live on SuperSport.[2]

The Free State Crinums won the inaugural Brutal Fruit Netball Cup, beating the Gauteng Jaguars 40-36 in a match that went into overtime.[3] Western Cape's Southern Stings won the Division 2 Shield of the Brutal Fruit Netball Netball in its inaugural year, beating KZN Kingdom Stars 39-31 in the final match.[4][5][6]

In 2019 the league consisted of 10 teams split into two divisions. Three other teams whose results were not included were added; the Presidents Smileys, a team made up of national team players based in South Africa, the President’s Stars which is a male only team, competing only in exhibition matches and the Zimbabwe national team used the league as preparation for the World Cup.[7] The 2019 championship was won by the Gauteng Jaguars, their third title in the competition.[8]

In 2020 the league expanded to 12 teams, split into two divisions of six. At the end of the season a promotion and relegation playoff match between the bottom team from Division 1 and the top team Division 2 is played. The 2020 season was won by the Jaguars.[9]

In 2023, the league was played at Ngwako Ramatlhodi Sports Complex in Polokwane from 27 April -1 May 2023 and Heartfelt Arena in Pretoria from 2 June -1 July 2023. The Gauteng Jaguars lifted their sixth Division 1 title with a 59-51 win over the Free State Crinums.[10] The Limpopo Baobabs won their maiden Division 2 title with a 65-40 win over the Western Cape Tornados.[11]

In 2024, the league was hosted by the City of Johannesburg from the 26 April - 19 June 2024 at Ellis Park Area.[12] In Division 1, the Free State Crinums defeated defending champions Gauteng Jaguars 47-46 to lift their fourth title. KZN Kingdom Stars won Division Two with a 37-35 win over the Eastern Cape Aloes.[13]

Teams and rules

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All matches in the league are played according to prevailing International Netball Federation (INF) rules. Points are awarded as follows:

  • Win = 2 points
  • Draw = 1 point
  • Lose = 0 points

The duration of each match is one hour, consisting of four quarters of 15 minutes each.

Current teams

[edit]
  • Correct as of 2023
Division Province Team
1 Gauteng Jaguars
1 Western Cape Stings
1 North West Flames
1 Free State Crinums
1 Gauteng Golden Fireballs
1 Eastern Cape Aloes
1 Limpopo Baobabs
2 KZN Kingdom Stars
2 Mpumalanga Sunbirds
2 Northern Cape Diamonds
2 Western Cape Tornadoes
2 KZN Queens
2 Eastern Cape Comets
2 Free State Sonoblomo
2 Limpopo Lillies

Division 1

[edit]

Finals

[edit]
Season Winners Score Runners Up Venue
2014[14] Free State Crinums 40–36 Gauteng Jaguars University of Pretoria[2]
2015[15][16] Free State Crinums 61–59 Gauteng Jaguars University of Pretoria
2016[17][18] Free State Crinums 52–43 Gauteng Jaguars Olive Centre, Durban
2017[19][20] Gauteng Jaguars 49–43 North West Flames Mangaung Indoor Centre, Bloemfontein
2018[21][22] Gauteng Jaguars 51–43 Southern Stings University of Pretoria
2019[23][24] Gauteng Jaguars 53–38 Southern Stings University of Pretoria
2020[25][26] Gauteng Jaguars 38–26 Free State Crinums Mangaung Indoor Sports Center, Bloemfontein
2021[27][28] Gauteng Jaguars 53–41 Southern Stings Rustenburg
2022[29][30][31] Gauteng Golden Fireballs 35–32 Gauteng Jaguars Heartfelt Arena, Pretoria
2023[32][33] Gauteng Jaguars 59–51 Free State Crinums Heartfelt Arena, Pretoria
2024[34][35] Free State Crinums 47–46 Gauteng Jaguars Ellis Park Arena

Division II winners

[edit]
Year Winners Runners-Up Ref.
2014 Western Cape Southern Stings KZN Kingdom Stars [4]
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019 KZN Kingdom Stars [36]
2020 Eastern Cape Aloes
2021
2022
2023 Limpopo Baobabs Western Cape Tornados [11]
2024 KZN Kingdom Stars Eastern Cape Comets [13]

References

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  1. ^ "South Africa's semi-professional netball tournament continues thanks to a new corporate partner". Pretoria East Rekord. 3 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b "First semi-professional competition for SA netball". www.southafrica.info. 2 May 2014. Archived from the original on 7 January 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  3. ^ brutaladmin (8 June 2014). "Free State Clinch Final In Extra Time Thriller". Brutal Fruit Netball Cup. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  4. ^ a b brutaladmin (7 June 2014). "Southern Stings Win Netball Shield". Brutal Fruit Netball Cup. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  5. ^ "SA Netball goes professional with Brutal Fruit". SAB Stories. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  6. ^ Netball South Africa (30 September 2014). "Netball teams announced for potchefstroom's spar international series - Netball South Africa". Netball-sa.co.za. Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  7. ^ "Fixtures for the 2019 Telkom Netball League". Netball South Africa. Facebook. 1 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Jaguars roar to another Telkom Netball League title". Run Ride Dive. 9 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Jaguars Win Fourth Telkom Netball League Title And Stars Retain Division A Position". Netball South Africa. 27 October 2020.
  10. ^ SA, Netball (2 July 2023). "Jaguars Lift Sixth Telkom Netball League Trophy". gsport4girls. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Baobabs win historic Netball League Division 2 title". SuperSport. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  12. ^ Contributor, gsport (9 April 2024). "Joburg Welcomes Telkom Netball League into the City". gsport4girls. Retrieved 19 June 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ a b Contributor, gsport (19 June 2024). "Kingdom Stars Win Telkom Netball League Division 2 Title in Johannesburg". gsport4girls. Retrieved 19 June 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  14. ^ "Crinums Break Through for Inaugural Netball Cup". gsport.co.za. 8 June 2014. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Crinums crowned NPL champions again". www.citizen.co.za. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Crinums leave it late before taking prestigious Premier League title". www.teamsa.co.za. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Three in a row for Crinums". www.citizen.co.za. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Crinums take Brutal Fruit title with 52-43 win over Jaguars". Diamond Fields Advertiser. www.pressreader.com. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Fourth time lucky for Jaguars". netball-sa.co.za. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Netball tournament ends with first win for Jaguars". www.news24.com. 18 June 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Second successive title for jubilant Jaguars". netball-sa.co.za. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  22. ^ "Jaguars roar to second BFNPL title on the trot". www.teamsa.co.za. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  23. ^ "Jaguars roar to another Telkom Netball League title". netball-sa.co.za. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  24. ^ "Gauteng Jaguars crowned Telkom Premier League champions". www.sabcnews.com. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  25. ^ "Jaguars Win Fourth Telkom Netball League Title And Stars Retain Division A Position". netball-sa.co.za. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  26. ^ "Jaguars win 4th Telkom Netball League title". www.news24.com. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  27. ^ "Gauteng Jaguars Claim 5th Telkom Netball League Title". netball-sa.co.za. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  28. ^ "Gauteng Jaguars Claim 5th Telkom Netball League Title". gsport.co.za. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  29. ^ "Golden Fireballs Dethrone Jaguars To Win Historic Maiden Title". netball-sa.co.za. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  30. ^ "Golden Fireballs Dethrone Jaguars to Win Historic Maiden Title". gsport.co.za. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  31. ^ "Netball South Africa Annual Report 2021/22" (PDF). netball-sa.co.za. November 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  32. ^ "Jaguars lift sixth Telkom Netball League trophy and Baobabs move to top Division". netball-sa.co.za. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  33. ^ "Jaguars crowned Telkom Netball League champions". joburg.org.za. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  34. ^ "Crinums clinch fourth Telkom Netball League Championship Title". netball-sa.co.za. 19 June 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  35. ^ "Free State Crinums edge out Gauteng Jaguars in thrilling 2024 Telkom Netball League final". joburg.org.za. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  36. ^ SA, Netball (7 June 2019). "Jaguars Cruise to Third Consecutive Netball League Title". gsport4girls. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
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