Commonwealth Games: Wales netball to face South Africa in Birmingham 2022 warm-up

Wales will host two games against South Africa on Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 July as part of their build-up to the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The Games will be staged in Birmingham between 28 July and 8 August, with the NEC Arena hosting the netball.

Wales head coach Sara Moore said: "They were absolutely the team we needed to target as part of our Commonwealth Games preparations.

"It's essential Wales play teams in the top five as regularly as possible."

The last time Wales played South Africa in a Test match was in 2019 in the Wendy White Test Series, with the Proteas wining both games 84-32 and 79-44, although last year the two sides played each other in a training match in Ireland.

South Africa are currently ranked fifth in the world, with Wales eighth.

"We are both in the same group at the Commonwealth Games and from that perspective we will be using these Test matches as part of our final preparations for Birmingham," Moore added.

"I'm sure the Proteas will be targeting medals at the Commonwealth Games, based on their recent performances, and of course we have our own goals for the competition, so playing them prior to entering the village will stand us in good stead."

The mini-series will be played at the Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff.

This article originally appeared on BBC Sport

Photo: Huw Evans Picture Agency