Debmarine Desert Jewels head coach Sunette Burden said the Tri-Nations competition held last week was of great importance, as it helped them gauge themselves ahead of the 2023 World Cup qualifiers set for Cape Town, South Africa in August this year.

Namibia played against hosts Malawi and Zimbabwe, winning only one match out of six.

Burden told New Era Sport the tourney provided players with much-needed experience, and it showed that they need to compete more often with highly-ranked teams.

“We have a mission of qualifying for the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town, and this competition was a clear indication as to where the team stands and what needs to be done to play against the best. 

“But most importantly, it broke fear (of playing internationally), but also made us realise that we can compete against the best in the world,” she said.

Burden added that they need to invest in more international exposure to develop the players.

“This is also to help with their mental fitness to allow them to cope during a high-tempo match. More training camps should be held to give players the opportunity to improve,” she said.

Namibia’s Tri-Nations results:

Namibia vs Malawi (23-60; 25-77; 37-49)

Namibia vs Zimbabwe (36-48; 38-34; 41-45)

Meanwhile, Namibia’s U/19 team also played against their counterparts in four matches at the same Tri-Nations tournament.

They did not win any match.

- mkambukwe@nepc.com.na