The Origin Australian Diamonds will host South Africa in a three-match series following the Constellation Cup this October.
The Diamonds will play their first-ever test match in Cairns when they host the SPAR Proteas at the Cairns Convention Centre on Wednesday 25 October.
The Diamonds will also make history in Hobart, playing for the first time in Tasmania’s capital at MyState Bank Arena on Sunday 29 October and Tuesday 31 October.
It will be the first opportunity for Diamonds fans to see the two teams compete following the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town.
The Diamonds retained their ranking as the best team in the world and were crowned world champions after a 61-45 win over England in the final. Host nation South Africa finished the tournament in sixth place.
The South Africa series follows the 2023 Constellation Cup, to be held at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena on Thursday 12 October and the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Sunday 15 October before crossing the Tasman.
“We can’t wait to play in Cairns and Hobart for the first time in the history of the Diamonds,” said Origin Australian Diamonds head coach Stacey Marinkovich.
“We didn’t come up against South Africa at the recent Netball World Cup, so we’re looking forward to the challenge in this series.
“The Diamonds last played South Africa in a standalone series in 2005 and we’re excited to play them in front of a home crowd for the first time in 18 years."
Tasmanian fans will also be able to immerse themselves in the Diamonds experience off the court, with community engagement planned ahead of the Hobart matches.
“We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Netball Australia to bring international netball to Tasmania,” Minister for Stadia and Events, Nic Street, said.
“This is an exciting opportunity for netball fans to see our world champion Diamonds in action for the first time in Tasmania and we look forward to hosting the world’s best players at Mystate Bank Arena this October.”
Member for Cairns and Assistant Tourism Minister Michael Healy said the Diamonds’ first test match will be a jewel in Tropical North Queensland’s events crown.
“The Diamonds and SPAR Proteas Test has a prominent place on our State-wide It’s Live! In Queensland major events calendar,” Mr Healy said.
“Our commitment to international women’s sport is an important part of Queensland’s green and gold runway of significant events to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“The Diamonds’ first Test is a win for Tropical North Queensland’s visitor economy and a glittering opportunity for competitors and spectators alike to discover this region’s world-famous tourism experiences.”
Tickets for the Constellation Cup and South Africa series will go on pre-sale to Suncorp Super Netball club members and Netball Nation subscribers on Monday 14 August from 11:00am AEST. Following this, registered netball participants from state Member Organisations will be able to access tickets from 5:00pm AEST.
Tickets are on sale now through Ticketek.
The South Africa Series will be broadcast live and exclusively on Fox Sports, available through Foxtel and Kayo Freebies.
South Africa Series dates and locations:
Game 1: Wednesday 25 October at Cairns Convention Centre - 6:30pm AEST
Game 2: Sunday 29 October at MyState Bank Arena, Hobart - 4:00pm AEDT
Game 3: Tuesday 31 October at MyState Bank Arena, Hobart - 7:30pm AEDT
