‘Phumza and Bongi could have played another World Cup’ - Mthembu
19th December 2023
Former Proteas star Precious Mthembu believes recently retired ex-teammates Phumza Maweni and Bongiwe Msomi could have played in another World Cup but respects their decisions.
Maweni, who started playing professional netball at the age of 28, last week called time on her career just 48 hours before captain Msomi followed suit.
The 39-year-old Goal Keeper, who enjoyed spells with the Southern Stings, Loughborough Lightning, Severn Stars, Team Bath in the UK, and Sunshine Coast Lightning in Australia, remained a prominent star in the 2023 Netball World Cup on home soil.
Msomi, who led the Proteas to sixth-spot at the World Cup in Cape Town, retired on 171 caps, making her the most-capped South African netball player of all time, and Mthembu feels the duo’s retirement is a huge blow for South African netball.
“Phumza and Bongiwe’s retirement is a special one and big for South African Netball. I always believed, and it’s a conversation I had with Phumza, that they can easily play another World Cup because they just have so much to give and offer," Mthembu told SABC Sport.
"Nevertheless, I am happy they have joined my retirement journey and excited to see what lies ahead for them. They definitely have much more years to offer, another World Cup and another Commonwealth Games.
"Their experience and the way they are still playing now is still exceptional and incredible. I retired when people didn’t expect me to, and it was something that felt right for me. Retirement is very personal – when it feels right, it is done."
Maweni made her debut for the Proteas in 2014 and earned 121 caps for the national team. and Mthembu, who retired in May last year with 97 caps collected over 14 years, says she learnt a lot from playing with the duo.
“I had an incredible and phenomenal experience and memories of being roommates, training together, creating personal goals together and, of course, representing South Africa [with Maweni and Msomi]," she added.
"I learnt so much from both of them, from being the craziest players in the team to making sure we're always setting an example for the young players selected into the team.
“I wouldn’t exchange those moments for anything. I have so much to take away from these moments.
"I clearly remember we would always go back to the games we played and analyse ourselves; we were never scared to reprimand one another because we wanted to grow and be better individuals for the team. They were my sisters from another mother."
