Grace Nweke’s Constellation Cup cameo points to a bright netball future

In the pantheon of world netball greats, South Africa-born shooter Irene van Dyk – who played 72 Tests for the Proteas before switching allegiances and playing 145 times for New Zealand – stands alone. For now anyway.

In just 30 on-court minutes during the second match of the four-Test Constellation Cup series between Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane on Sunday night, another towering goaler with connections to Africa hinted at greatness, even if she couldn’t drag her side over the line.

Grace Nweke, born in New Zealand to Nigerian parents, is a long way from inhabiting Van Dyk’s rarified air. But her two-quarter cameo in the 55-46 loss, as she returns from a patella injury sustained at the World Cup in July, showed why she might one day rival the great who played at five World Cups and four Commonwealth Games – and shot at 90% accuracy across a 20-year international career.

After she controversially switched from representing her native South Africa to New Zealand in 2000, 190cm Van Dyk was the Silver Ferns. She became arguably the most famous netballer on the planet thanks to her height, eye-popping leg split and deadly accuracy. She helped the Kiwis win the 2003 World Cup and back-to-back Commonwealth titles in 2006 and 2010.

She was the top scorer at the 2003 World Cup in Jamaica where she kept her cool as the Ferns played one player down for a period in the final against Australia. At the time, New Zealand hadn’t won the coveted title since 1987 and it took them until 2019 to win it again.

At domestic and international levels, Van Dyk dominated opponents with her slick movement and perpetual volume. She beat most players before they stepped into the circle on reputation alone. She was unlike any other player the