Xandri Fourie Shines Again for the Crinums as Tinita van Dyk Leads the Fireballs to Crushing Win
The Telkom Netball League Power Week 2 continued with the Eastern Cape Comets edging the Limpopo Baobabs 55-50 in a tight Division 2 contest at Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg on Saturday, 23 May 2026. The result leaves the Baobabs still searching for a first win of the Johannesburg leg after their opening-day stalemate.
The Division 2 programme delivered drama from the first whistle. North West Tshukudu upset the Northern Cape Diamonds 45-41, with Diamonds goal defence Keletso Gontho the standout in a losing cause, claiming the Player of the Match award. It was a fourth such accolade of the season for Gontho, whose consistency at the back has been one of the early stories of the campaign even as her side absorbed a second successive defeat.
The Western Cape Tornados showed exactly why they remain the Division 2 pacesetters, dismantling the Limpopo Lilies 62-32 in the most emphatic result of the day. Goal shooter Rehana Noah was imperious under the post and was named Player of the Match, capping a ruthless display that extended the Tornados’ unbeaten run.
Free State Sonoblomo, meanwhile, continued their resurgence with a nail-biting 58-56 win over the Mpumalanga Sunbirds, the second time in two days the two sides have been separated by the narrowest of margins. Wing attack Marianne Louw was the architect of the victory, earning the Player of the Match honour.
In Division 1, the Eastern Cape Aloes showed improvement despite a 54-42 defeat to the Kingdom Stars, competing with more purpose before the Kingdom Stars pulled clear late. There was still cause for Aloes celebration, however, as Nomfundo Mngomezulu earned the Player of the Match award after another sharp shooting performance, the goal attack proving a constant threat throughout.
The Golden Fireballs carried their momentum into a commanding 58-28 victory over the North West Flames, boosted by the return of defenders Cornelia Mupenda and Jeanté Strydom following their stints in Malaysia. Goal shooter Tinita van Dyk was unstoppable in the circle and was duly named Player of the Match.
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“We also have so much confidence with the girls that came back. We are very, I guess, a close group and we get along really well. And you could see some of the girls really struggled a lot, that we had numbers that were not here,” Fireballs assistant coach Bongiwe Msomi said.
“But now even the mood is just completely different and you can see it on court.”
Gauteng Golden Fireballs Assistant Coach, Bongiwe Msomi
The headline act of the day belonged to the Free State Crinums, who maintained their unblemished 2026 record with a convincing 56-41 win over the Gauteng Jaguars. It was the second time this season the Crinums have got the better of their Free State rivals, condemning the Jaguars to a third defeat of the campaign.
Crinums goal attack Xandri Fourie was the difference-maker, her clinical finishing earning a third Player of the Match award of the season and reaffirming her status as one of the league’s form players.
With her side now the only unbeaten team in Division 1, Crinums coach Martha Mosoahle-Samm was quick to keep expectations measured. “Just taking it game by game, you know, we don’t want to let that get to our heads.”
“We know that the game, actually the competition, has not started yet, the top four is yet to come, and just being grounded and knowing that it’s a tough competition and every team is preparing and every team will come very hard on us, but most importantly playing good netball, taking it game to game.”
Free State Crinums Head Coach, Martha Mosoahle-Samm
For the Jaguars, who impressed in their narrow opening-day win over the Kingdom Stars, it was a sobering afternoon against opponents who have set the early-season standard. Head coach Rozanne Matthyse found encouragement in the closing margin even in defeat.
“I thought it went better than our last encounter with them. Still, yeah, came off with a loss and still a lot of things that we need to look at and fix. I felt the changes we made were good changes. Maybe came a little bit too late,” said Matthyse. “But yeah, I think the Crinums were very good. They are a clinical team and they know each other very well. Last encounter was 20 goals and now it’s 15 and I think it could have been a little bit less than that, but I’m proud of the girls.”
With the Crinums perfect, the Tornados rampant and a clutch of tight Division 2 finishes keeping the standings finely balanced, Power Week 2 is building towards a compelling conclusion at Ellis Park.
Day 2 Results for Power Week 2 of the Telkom Netball League at Ellis Park Arena on Saturday, 23 May 2026
D2 Eastern Cape Comets 55-50 Limpopo Baobabs
D2 Northern Cape Diamonds 41-45 North West Tshukudu
D2 Limpopo Lilies 32-62 Western Cape Tornados
D1 Eastern Cape Aloes 42-54 Kingdom Stars
D1 North West Flames 28-58 Golden Fireballs
D2 Free State Sonoblomo 58-56 Mpumalanga Sunbirds
D1 Gauteng Jaguars 41-56 Free State Crinums
Day 3 Fixtures on Sunday, 24 May 2026
07h00 D2 North West Tshukudu v Free State Sonoblomo
09h00 D2 Limpopo Lilies v Northern Cape Diamonds
11h00 D2 Kingdom Queens v Mpumalanga Sunbirds
13h00 D1 Free State Crinums v Kingdom Stars
15h00 D1 Southern Stings v North West Flames
17h00 D2 Eastern Cape Comets v Free State Sonoblomo
19h00 D2 Limpopo Baobabs v North West Tshukudu
Original Copy: Kgotla PR for Netball SA, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Free State Crinums GA Player of the Match Xandri Fourie helped her team maintain their unbeaten 2026 record with a hard-fought 56-41 victory over the Gauteng Jaguars in their first appearance in Power Week 2 of the Telkom Netball League, at Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg on Saturday, 23 May 2026. All Photos: Netball SA
Photo 2 Caption: The Western Cape Tornados stayed unbeaten in Division 2 with a dominant 62-32 victory over the Limpopo Lilies during Power Week 2.
Photo 3 Caption: The Golden Fireballs welcomed back Cornelia Mupenda and Jeanté Strydom from Malaysia as they overpowered the North West Flames 58-28.
Photo 4 Caption: North West Tshukudu produced one of the upsets of the day, edging the higher-placed Northern Cape Diamonds 45-41 in Division 2.
Photo 5 Caption: Free State Sonoblomo held their nerve in the day’s tightest finish, overcoming the Mpumalanga Sunbirds 58-56 in a Division 2 thriller.
Crédito: Link de origem