Proteas face World Cup demons

Performance coach Tom Dawson-Squibb says the Proteas are "not hiding" from past World Cup disappointments.

The Proteas have suffered a number of World Cup heartbreaks since 1992, most recently at last year's ODI tournament in India, where they lost to Australia in the semi-finals.

Speaking to the Rapport newspaper, Dawson-Squibb - who is the head coach of the UCT Varsity Cup rugby team - said the Proteas believed they could win this World Cup and did not choke:

“We played 80 overs of good cricket [in the semi-final]. We wanted to bat first because that was our strong point. Then the ball just moved around a lot. We were 24-4 and got to 212. The Proteas of 2023 definitely believed they could win the World Cup. And the belief grew more and more as the tournament went on.”

Dawson-Squibb says that while he can't comment on other World Cup failures because he wasn't there, the team is addressing them.

Dawson-Squibb says he helps head coach Rob Walter "create a challenging and happy environment" and that his "primary role with the Proteas is to help the coaches be the best versions of themselves.