Mazibuko confident of Jaguars title defence

Gauteng Jaguars goal shooter, Nonsikelelo Mazibuko says although she is confident that her side can successfully defend their title, getting to the top of the podium will not be an easy task.

The Tshwane side are aiming for a record extending seventh title of the Telkom Netball League(TNL).

The Jaguars have played in every final of the competition since its inception in 2014 and are looking to continue the feat this season as the tournament returns to the Ellis Park Indoor Arena for the first time since the 2018 edition.

KwaZulu-Natal’s Olive Convention Centre, the Heartfelt Arena in Pretoria, the Mangaung Indoor Sports Centre, and Polokwane's Ngwako Ramatlhodi Sports Complex are the other venues that have hosted this competition.

The Jaguars will begin their title defence with a clash with newly promoted Limpopo Baobabs when the season begins with a power week which will run from 26 April to 5 May.

The league has had three winners since it was established in 2014, the Free State Crinums were the first to win it and did so back-to-back for three victories between 2014 to 2016 while the Gauteng Fireballs won their only title in the 2022 season.

Mazibuko says the team is determined to return to the top.

“We will be playing the same kind of netball as last year, there is not much that is new except for the new players that have come into the team. There will be new combinations which means we will have to take it one step at a time so that we can see how things will go.

We get along quite well and we are all aiming to get our title to stay where it is. We want to stay as the No 1 team. I know that other teams also want to be No 1, but we have to fight to stay at the top. We have to work hard to stay at the top,” says Mazibuko.

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