The Spar Proteas netball players have spoken a lot about their desire to be considered serious contenders at this Netball World Cup, and now they will have the chance to prove it.

Their 68-40 victory over Wales in their first match of the qualification round to determine the play-offs was another positive step forward for a team that is lapping up the words of their new coach Norma Plummer.

But it took a few more of those words from the Australian coaching legend at half time to turn what Plummer described as a lethargic first half into something she felt was worthy of the team.

Her players responded with their best quarter to date at this World Cup, winning the third quarter 24-8 on their way to an overall lead of 55-29 at that point, before the eventual win.

"I thought we were a bit flat, to be honest. Even when I looked at the warm-up, I felt they were a bit too relaxed. I told them that we're at the business end of the whole carnival now and it's going to have to be a step up," said Plummer.

The Proteas need to do exactly that as they now face world number one Australia today and then world number three England on Friday. They need to win at least one of those matches to make the semifinals.

Australia's defeat by New Zealand in the pool games seems to have given the Proteas a bit of hope that the world's most dominant netball team is beatable.

"You want to test yourself against the strongest players. I think our first priority is to give Australia a good contest," said veteran goalkeeper Adele Niemand.

"We don't want to make it easy for them. We need to show the world that the Proteas can actually compete with the best."