From Santa Queens to the spotlight: Peri Tabviroona finishes TNL on a high
Rainbow Amateur League Sundays to Telkom Netball League stardom. For Perisinevi “Peri” Tabviroona, the journey has been short in distance but massive in impact.
The Santa Queens GK captain arrived at TNL 2026 with a point to prove. Midway through the campaign, playing for Zimbabwe’s developmental side the Zambezi Eagles against Kingdom Stars, she made it.
In a match where every circle entry mattered, Peri was in no mood for negotiations. She read the play, shut down space, and turned defence into attack. By the final whistle, the Player of the Match medal was hers.
For Santa Queens, the moment was personal. Manager Stanley Chiwambutsa spoke for the entire club:
“As Santa Queens Netball Club management, players and fans we are so happy with the sterling performance shown by one of our own team captains Perisinevi Tabviroona… Peri was in no mood for negotiations in that goal circle defensive position and she eventually was named the Player of The Match at the end. Welldone our Captain for such a performance.”
But Peri’s story was not standing alone. This edition of the Telkom Netball League became a Santa Queens showcase on the national stage.
Three of their own wore Zimbabwe’s colours. Head coach Simbarashe Mlambo, stepped up as Assistant Coach of the Zambezi Eagles. His captain Peri cemented herself as an Eagles regular and earned a Gems senior call-up. Then came Enesi Chavarika; on her first national call-up and already making shock waves, winning fans back home with fearless performances.
Chiwambutsa believes it proves what Santa Queens have been building:
“We are also happy that this edition of TNL saw selection of three of our personnel to go and represent Zimbabwe under the netball developmental squad The Zambezi Eagles… We say congratulations to our team members for representing the nation and for putting Santa Queens Netball Club on the spotlight.”
And today, they finished with a statement win, beating the Southern Sings 67-53 in their Division 1 game.
It caps a learning curve of a tournament for the Zimbabwean developmental side. Across 6 official matches they posted 2 wins, 4 losses:
Lost 57-46 to defending champs Golden Fireballs
Lost 61-50 to unbeaten Free State Crinums
Won 58-47 vs North West Flames
Won 58-54 vs Jaguars
Lost 55-53 to Eastern Cape Aloes
65-43 friendly win vs Kingdom
Earlier on today: 57-63 win vs Southern Stings
The results tell one story. The growth tells another. Every match tested their composure against SA’s best. Every quarter built experience for what comes next.
The timing could not be better. Santa Queens sit 3rd in the Rainbow Amateur League, proving club form translates to national impact. Meanwhile, the Gems are laying groundwork for the future.
With no qualification yet for the 2027 Netball World Cup, Zimbabwe will head to an Africa qualifier tournament in Kenya later this year, where only two slots are up for grabs.
From Santa Queens, to South Africa, to Kenya 2027.
Peri’s wall in the goal circle, Enesi’s fearless debut, Mlambo’s coaching rise; the developmental pipeline is flowing.
Today the Eagles closed one chapter. The next one starts now.
