The Telkom Netball League Power Week 2 reached its conclusion with the Kingdom Queens edging the Limpopo Lilies 37-36 to secure a Division 2 top-four berth at Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg on Sunday, 31 May 2026. The result drew the curtain on an action-packed ten-day group-stage programme.
The Queens-Lilies clash was tightly contested throughout. The opening quarter ended 9-9, both sides applying relentless defensive pressure and capitalising on turnovers, before the Lilies, behind an intercept from wing defence Ashleigh Gray, established a three-goal lead midway through the second quarter to lead 19-17 at halftime.
The Queens responded strongly in the third quarter and edged ahead, with Lilies goal defence Nolwazi Mathe forced off injured and replaced by Julia Sekwakwa, the disruption testing the Limpopo side’s composure. Lilies goal attack Kgaugelo Ramafalo struck a Supershot two-pointer to keep her side within a goal heading into the final quarter, and the score was locked at 36-36 before Queens goal shooter Aphiwe Thusini’s one-point conversion in the final Supershot period proved decisive.
In the day’s other Division 2 contests, the Mpumalanga Sunbirds ended their Power Week 2 campaign on a positive note with a 51-44 win over the Eastern Cape Comets. The Sunbirds asserted control through the first half, defensive pressure restricting the Comets to just eight goals in the opening quarter as Mpumalanga led 26-18 at halftime.
Although the Comets showed greater intent in the third quarter, narrowing the deficit to four through improved ball movement and a Supershot two-pointer from goal shooter Bianca Blom, the Sunbirds held firm to close out the win.
The day opened with North West Tshukudu inflicting a second defeat of the Power Week on the Western Cape Tornados, winning 44-35 in the morning’s Division 2 fixture. The Tornados struggled to translate scoring opportunities into goals, with goal shooter Liandré Kriel and goal attack Mané Visser unable to find rhythm, while Tshukudu shooters Mmampho Molefe and Molebogeng Moeketsane punished the visitors with accurate finishing to lead 12-7 at the first break.
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Tshukudu goalkeeper Jeané Visser secured three consecutive intercepts in the opening minutes of the second quarter to extend the lead to nine, and although Tornados coach Lucy Twani rotated her shooting circle, bringing Rehana Noah on at goal shooter and shifting Adri Kannemeyer to goal attack, the changes failed to spark a comeback.
Away from the standings, the visiting Zambezi Eagles finished their Telkom Netball League Power Week 2 programme with a 63-57 win over the Southern Stings, a fitting close to a tournament that has served as preparation for the Zimbabwean side’s World Cup qualifiers in Kenya later in the year.
The Eagles claimed three wins from seven matches across the Power Week, all in non-counting fixtures, and the experience gained against South Africa’s leading sides will strengthen their build-up to September’s qualifiers.
With Power Week 2 now concluded, attention turns to the playoffs after a two-week break. The semi-final pairings were confirmed across the Saturday programme: in Division 1, the Free State Crinums, who closed out their group-stage programme unbeaten, will face the Gauteng Jaguars, while the Golden Fireballs meet the Southern Stings in the other Division 1 semi-final.
Jaguars head coach Rozanne Matthyse, reflecting on her side’s group-stage close and looking ahead to the playoffs, struck a confident note grounded in her side’s history. “We’ve been in this situation in 2022, took out the Fireballs in the semi-finals and took the trophy.”
The decisive matches will be played when the league reconvenes for Power Week 3, with a fortnight’s preparation now ahead of the four remaining contenders in each division, and a Telkom Netball League final to be played at the close of the playoff stage.
Day 10 Results for Power Week 2 of the Telkom Netball League at Ellis Park Arena on Sunday, 31 May 2026
D2 Limpopo Lilies 36-37 Kingdom Queens
D2 Mpumalanga Sunbirds 51-44 Eastern Cape Comets
D1 Southern Stings 57-63 Zambezi Eagles
D2 North West Tshukudu 44-35 Western Cape Tornados
Original Copy: Kgotla PR for Netball SA, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: The Kingdom Queens secured a Division 2 top-four berth with a one-goal 37-36 victory over the Limpopo Lilies, as the Telkom Netball League Power Week 2 reached its conclusion at Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg on Sunday, 31 May 2026. All Photos: Netball SA
Photo 2 Caption: The Southern Stings closed their Power Week 2 programme with a 57-63 defeat to the visiting Zambezi Eagles in a non-counting fixture.
Photo 3 Caption: North West Tshukudu inflicted a second defeat of the Power Week on the Western Cape Tornados, winning the Division 2 fixture 44-35.
