Netball 2019

Your FREE guide to the Netball World Cup | Liverpool 12–21 July 2019

BACKING THE

FERNS AS THEY TAKE ON THE

WORLD

3

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Contents

Your FREE guide to the 2019 Netball World Cup

WORLD CUP PREVIEW 4

SILVER FERNS TEAM POSTER 16-17

COACH PROFILE: NOELINE TAURUA 7

GROUP A TEAM PREVIEWS 18–21

A preview of the top teams leading into the Netball World Cup tournament.

A poster of the Silver Ferns team selected to challenge for the upcoming World Cup.

The Silver Ferns coach offers insights into player selection, her World Cup expectations and the team she has put together.

World Cup team previews start with Australia, Northern Ireland, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

PLAYER PROFILE: KARIN BURGER 8

Take a closer look at the netball nations of Malawi, Barbados and Singapore.

GROUP B TEAM PREVIEWS 21–22

O ne of the newest Silver Ferns opens up about her journey to the World Cup and the two netball stars that served as her role models.

GROUP C TEAM PREVIEWS 22–24

NETBALL WORLD CUP HISTORY 10-11

GROUP D TEAM PREVIEWS 24–27

A look back at the Silver Ferns campaigns at previous tournaments.

FACTS AND FIGURES 12

A collation of statistics and facts related to the Netball World Cup.

SILVER FERNS TEAM PREVIEW 15

The New Zealand team includes some very experienced campaigners and plenty of leaders.

An introduction to the teams from Jamaica, South Africa, Fiji and Trinidad and Tobago.

Get to know the teams from England, Uganda, Scotland and Samoa before the event begins.

WORLD CUP MATCH SCHEDULE 28-29 A full fixtures guide to the 2019 Netball World Cup.

SILVER FERNS QUIZ 30

Twenty questions to test your knowledge of the Silver Ferns.

MANAGING EDITOR OLIVER LEE EDITOR PETER WHITE SUB-EDITOR ELISE McDOWELL PHOTOGRAPHY mbphoto.photoshelter.com

Box 331-667, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 T: +64-9-486 6966 E: oliver@oliverlee.co.nz W: oliverlee.co.nz

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COPYRIGHT: Reproduction in whole or in part by any means is prohibited.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Although all material is checked for accuracy, no liability is assumed by the publisher for any loss due to use of material in this magazine.

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NOTE: The TAB odds quoted throughout the magazine were correct on 27 June 2019.

For the latest updated odds, visit tab.co.nz

4

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Get set to twist and shout in Liverpool The 15th edition of the Vitality Netball World Cup will be held 12–21 July at the impressive M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England. BY PETER WHITE The best 16 teams in the world will compete for the pinnacle prize in netball. Australia are once again favourites to take out what will be their 12th title.

At the TAB the Diamonds are paying just $2.00, hosts England as second favourites at $3.00, Jamaica are paying $5.50, the Silver Ferns $9.00, South Africa $26.00 and Malawi $101.00. The other 10 teams competing are all locked together at $501.00.

The top five teams in the world rankings qualified automatically for the tournament. Sixth-ranked Malawi also qualified because second-ranked England are hosting the World Cup and are an automatic participant.

It was definitely a long and winding road for the remaining 10 squads to secure their places in Liverpool. They qualified via regional tournaments with two teams chosen from each of the five international netball regions of Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

A new format will be used for this year’s tournament with teams competing in three stages: Preliminaries Stage One (12–14 July), Preliminaries Stage Two (15–18 July) and the play-offs and placings matches (19–21 July).

The 16 teams are divided into four groups of four. Group A is made up of Australia, Northern Ireland, Zimbabwe and

Sri Lanka. Group B is New Zealand, Malawi, Barbados and Singapore. Group C consists of Jamaica, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, and Fiji, while England, Uganda, Scotland and Samoa form Group D. After the first preliminary stage, the top three teams from each group will move on to the second preliminary stage.

The top three teams from Groups A and B will form Group F, while the top three teams from Groups C and D will form Group G. After the second round of action, the top two teams from Groups F and G will move on to the semi-finals with the number one teams facing the number two teams from the other group. The semi-final winners then decide the 2019 INF Netball World Cup title on July 21.

At the 2015 Netball World Cup played in Sydney, Australia, the Diamonds defeated the Silver Ferns 58-55 in the final and secured their third consecutive World Cup and 11th title overall. England won third place with a 66-44 victory over Jamaica in the bronze-medal match.

The Diamonds will take some beating and their tag as favourites to win again is well deserved. Since the inaugural event it has always been the Silver Ferns who have given the Diamonds the biggest challenge with the Kiwis winning the title four times.

But this year the Silver Ferns have slipped down to fourth in the world in the official rankings behind a resurgent England and Jamaica.

There is no doubt the Silver Ferns have the experience and know-how to win the tournament under astute coach Noeline Taurua and captain Laura Langman. The odds may well be under-representing just how good this team are and going into any event as underdogs sits nicely with all Kiwi sports teams.

England will be tough to beat playing at home in front of a packed-out M&S Bank Arena. They have won their last two encounters with Australia which gives this year’s World Cup the perfect promotional boost.

The Roses defeated Australia in the gold-medal match at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast last year, and in January beat them in the Quad Series, although the Diamonds retained the trophy.

England’s best performance at the Netball World Cup was in 1975 when they finished second. Undoubtedly this is their chance to finally get their name on the impressive trophy.

Jamaica have the best credentials of the remaining teams competing. Ranked third in the world, the Sunshine Girls are led by two of the best shooters in the business in Romelda Aiken and Jhaniele Fowler.

AUSTRALIA CELEBRATE AFTER WINNING THE 2015 NETBALL WORLD CUP FINAL AGAINST THE SILVER FERNS.

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7

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Noeline Taurua is aiming for gold In sport, there is always a subtle balance between confidence and pragmatism when it comes to international success. BY PETER WHITE Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua has always had that balance over her playing and coaching career. She has never been one for making wild predictions but the Vitality Netball World Cup is something she would dearly love to win.

“My intention obviously is to win the World Cup. I think it would be remiss of me if I didn’t put myself out there or not be confident in regards to actually stating that. I would not be doing my job if I did not feel that is where we are heading to,” she says.

“It definitely is about winning the gold and that comes with the job and the expectation behind that.”

The run to the finals is going to be brutal for every team involved, with so many games in such a short period it will test every fibre of physical and mental resilience in the players.

Taurua knows a lot of steps need to be successfully climbed before there are any thoughts of gold medals.

“So it is acknowledging us getting to the topfour semi-finals and what needs to happen in that space with regards to doing five back-to-back games. Once you get there we are playing against Australia on our side of the pool and two of the teams go through.”

Taurua has recalled experienced players in defenders Katrina Rore and Phoenix Karaka, midcourter Shannon Saunders and shooter Bailey Mes to take on the world’s best in Liverpool.

“They bring qualities that we need as a team to be open and honest with performance, full of tenaciousness and character but also looking at ways to be better at international level.

“With all those players they have been there and done that but that is not the reason why they were selected. It was just a by-product of what they actually bring.

NOELINE TAURUA BELIEVES PASSIONATELY IN HER TEAM.

“They all show character and they also bring that mental toughness with regards to taking disappointment, being vilified for what happened for some of them at the Commonwealth Games and still having the passion for the game to get better [and] come back stronger in how you play the game.

With eight potential games in 10 days the physical fitness of the Silver Ferns may well prove to be a defining factor. Taurua wanted players in Liverpool who are fit enough to handle the daunting schedule. She says the conditioning of the 12 players selected for the World Cup is as good as can be.

“My intention obviously is to win the World Cup. I think it would be remiss of me if I didn’t put myself out there or not be confident in regards to actually stating that.“ “Like every selection you are looking for the best person that can play their role in any position and the next thing is about the combinations and the connection with others so that unit is as strong as it can be.”

“I feel the shifts that have happened physically have been acknowledged by everyone, so as a player you know the players beside you are prepared to do whatever they can to support each other but also to put

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the performance out there we are capable of doing.

“Character is about culture, mental toughness and hardworking people who are willing to work for each other. I feel all the ones we have selected are willing to stand up and put themselves out there.

“That’s all I can ask in the end and then it’s my job to be able to pull it together, get the strategy and combine all the individuals together as a team.

“Everybody has their own little story and they all have their own different character and back story but when you put it all together that is when you get the power of the collective.

“Hopefully we can demonstrate that as the Silver Ferns team and the brand of netball we are going to play.”

8

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Karin Burger living her World Cup dream This has already been the best year in the netball career of Karin Burger and she still has the Netball World Cup to come. BY PETER WHITE The 26-year-old wing defence, who is equally as comfortable at goal keeper and goal defence, played a key role in the Pulse winning their first ANZ Championship title in June.

“When I arrived in New Zealand I hoped to meet the players and not necessarily play in the same team.

I guess back then it seemed farfetched and I don’t really think it has sunk in yet about the World Cup.

Burger has certainly made every post a winner since she made the long and at times lonely move from her home in South Africa as an 18-year-old.

She had Leana de Bruin and Irene van Dyk as role models who had made the same journey.

“It is a great honour but the hard work is not over yet. Getting selected is not as hard as staying in the team and keeping performing. It is about being consistent, doing the hard work and not just thinking ‘well I’ve made it and that’s it ’.”

“As a young person and not knowing what you wanted to do career-wise, you just grab whatever opportunities you get and try to use [them] to the best of your ability,” Burger says.

The positional change Burger made last season from circle defence to wing defence not only proved decisive for the Pulse but she says it clinched her place in the Silver Ferns.

“This amazing opportunity presented itself to come to New Zealand and I was going for one year and that turned into two years and I started building a life for myself. And I am still here.”

“At that time there were so many integral defenders that I had to compete against who were amazing players. People are looking towards taller wing defenders so at the Pulse the coaches used that opportunity to move me.

De Bruin gave Burger some straightforward advice, which she used as a guide to getting herself established in the New Zealand netball scene.

“I am massively influenced by coaches Yvette (McCausland-Durie) and Wai Taumaunu who started from scratch because I had never played that position before and helped me get comfortable with it. I have now turned it into my own position and what makes it unique to me.

I am very happy with the move.”

“She told me it is not easy. It is not going to be a walk in the park and it will take a lot of hard work to get established. I knew someone else had done it and with hard work anything is possible.

“Once I got here, I got a lot of support and advice in Wellington from Irene and I am just very grateful to have people like those two to help me on my journey.”

Looking ahead to what is about to happen in Liverpool gives Burger plenty of reason for optimism.

Making the Silver Ferns was a goal back then for Burger but it seemed so very far away. Last year she made that dream become a reality when she made her debut for the Silver Ferns – and got to play against South Africa as well.

She is looking forward to spending all that valuable time in camp with great players and coaches she looks up to.

“It was a dream come true, definitely 100 per cent. Even last year if you had told me I would make the Ferns and be going to the World Cup I probably would not have believed you.

It is something that little kid growing up playing netball in South Africa used to dream about.

Now her moment has arrived.

But she also wants to stamp her mark on the team when she gets court time.

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10

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Reflecting on tournaments past Ever since the Netball World Championships (rebranded as the Netball World Cup in 2015) were first contested in 1963 at Eastbourne, England, there has been a common theme: the Australian Diamonds win most of the tournaments and the New Zealand Silver Ferns live up to their name finishing second.

The Diamonds have won 11 of the 14 tournaments staged, while the Silver Ferns have won four but have finished second to their trans-Tasman rivals on eight occasions. The only other country to taste success at the event is Trinidad and Tobago who shared the title with their Antipodean foes in 1979 – the title was split three ways. Finals were not played until 1991 and there were not any rules set down to determine a winner.

In 1963, 1991, 1999 and 2011 New Zealand were denied the world title won by Australia by just one goal.

Any story of the history of the Silver Ferns at the meeting of the world’s best teams held every four years is incomplete without including New Zealand’s First Lady of netball, Dame Lois Muir.

Her contribution to the sport as a player and coach is unparalleled. She was vice captain at the inaugural World Championships held in England in 1963 and coached the Silver Ferns at a record four consecutive tournaments from 1975 to 1987.

Her teams won the title in 1979 and 1987, placed third in 1975 and second in 1983.

• •

It is hard to believe with today’s top-class indoor stadiums but the first seven World Championships were held outdoors.

The tournament moved indoors in 1981 when it was held in Sydney, Australia.

Playing outdoors created complications for players, such as taking on the rainy season at Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago in 1979.

Muir rates this as her greatest team, it was led by Leigh Gibbs and featured the likes of Tracey Fear, Sandra Edge, Rita Fatialofa, Julie Townsend and Wai Taumaunu.

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“The day we were playing Barbados we arrived at 2pm but we didn’t get on court until 11pm.”

The 1983 final in Singapore saw a heart-breaking loss to Australia, so four years later Muir took her team to Glasgow with victory on their minds. The squad featured seven of the players from Singapore and despite playing 12 games in 13 days, no team, including the Australians, could get near them.

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“Our shooters would look up and get water in their eye sockets,” Muir says. “We played on a tennis court-like surface so the courts got very, very slippery to play on.

11

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

DAME LOIS MUIR WITH LAURA LANGMAN, THE WINNER OF THE DAME LOIS MUIR SUPREME AWARD AT THE INAUGURAL NEW ZEALAND NETBALL AWARDS IN 2015.

“They wanted to make each other look good out there,” Muir says. “They were at peace with themselves and no opposition got within 10 points of this team. We restricted Australia to just six goals a quarter, which was almost as good as winning a World Championship.”

There has been just one more World Championship title won by the Silver Ferns in the seven tournaments contested since Glasgow. On five occasions New Zealand have lost the

COACH RUTH AITKEN TALKS TO HER TEAM DURING THE 2011 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN SINGAPORE.

final to Australia, alongside a third placing at the 1995 event held in Birmingham, England. The victory to break up the sequence of near misses over such a long period came in Kingston, Jamaica in 2003.

The rampant Silver Ferns showed their attacking flair to take care of Samoa 81-28 in the quarter-finals before brushing aside a strong Jamaican outfit 56-37 to book a showdown with their perennial rivals Australia in the final.

New Zealand, coached by Ruth Aitken and captained by Anna Rowberry, topped Group B and went through to the play-offs along with England, Fiji and Barbados. In Group A, Australia was first, ahead of Jamaica, South Africa and Samoa.

The final was an epic struggle between two outstanding sides with very little between them from one end of the court to the other. The Silver Ferns held their nerve to win 49-47 after leading at the end of the first three-quarters.

12

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Netball World Cup: Facts and Figures DID YOU KNOW… ● THE FIRST NETBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (REBRANDED NETBALL WORLD CUP IN 2015) WAS HELD IN 1963. ● IN 1979, THERE WERE THREE WINNERS. THREE TEAMS FINISHED ON THE SAME POINTS: AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO. NO FINAL WAS PLAYED. THE RULES AT THE TIME DID NOT PROVIDE ANY OTHER WAY OF DETERMINING AN OUTRIGHT WINNER, SO THE THREE TEAMS SHARED THE TITLE. ● SOUTH AFRICA IS THE ONLY NATION OTHER THAN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TO HAVE PLAYED IN A WORLD CUP FINAL (FINALS WERE INTRODUCED IN 1991 IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA). ● IN 2007, FIJI WERE SCHEDULED TO HOST THE TOURNAMENT BUT WERE STRIPPED OF THE RIGHT AS A RESULT OF THE COUP IN DECEMBER 2006. HOSTING RIGHTS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY AWARDED TO NEW ZEALAND. ● AUSTRALIA HAVE WON 11 OF THE 14 EVENTS HELD SO FAR UP TO 2015. ● FOUR NATIONS HAVE PLAYED AT EVERY TOURNAMENT SINCE 1963: AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, ENGLAND AND JAMAICA. ● ENGLAND JOIN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND AS THREE-TIME HOSTS WHEN THEY HOST THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT IN LIVERPOOL.

SILVER FERNS WORLD CUP RESULTS YEAR

PERFORMANCE OF NATIONS POS. NATION

1 2

Australia New Zealand

1ST

2ND

3RD

11 ( 1 963, 1971, 1975, 1979, 3 (1967, 1987, 2003) – 1983, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2015)

4 (1967, 1979, 1987, 2003) 8 ( 1963, 1971, 1983, 2 (1975, 1995)

3 4

Trinidad & Tobago 1 (1979) England –

5

South Africa

6

Jamaica

1991, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2015) 1 (1987) 1 (1983)

CHAMPIONSHIP

PLACING

1963 Eastbourne, England

HOST

1st World Championship

Second

1967 Perth, Australia

2nd World Championship

First

1971 Kingston, Jamaica

3rd World Championship

Second

1975 Auckland, New Zealand

4th World Championship

Third

1979 Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago 5th World Championship

Joint First Second

1983 Singapore

6th World Championship

1987 Glasgow, Scotland

7th World Championship

First

1991 Sydney, Australia

8th World Championship

Second

1995 Birmingham, England

9th World Championship

Third

1999 Christchurch, New Zealand

10th World Championship

Second

1 (1975)

5 ( 1963, 1971, 1999,

2003 Kingston, Jamaica

11th World Championship

First

2007 Auckland, New Zealand

12th World Championship

Second

–

1 (1995)

1 (1967)

2011 Singapore

13th World Championship

Second

–

–

3 (1991, 2003, 2007)

2015 Sydney, Australia

14th World Cup

Second

2011, 2015)

OVERALL WORLD CUP RESULTS YEAR HOST

1963 1967 1971 1975

Eastbourne, England Perth, Australia Kingston, Jamaica Auckland, New Zealand

1979 Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015

Singapore Glasgow, Scotland Sydney, Australia Birmingham, England Christchurch, New Zealand Kingston, Jamaica Auckland, New Zealand Singapore Sydney, Australia

IST

2ND

Australia New Zealand Australia Australia Australia, New Zealand, Australia New Zealand Australia Australia Australia New Zealand Australia Australia Australia

3RD

New Zealand Australia New Zealand England Trinidad & Tobago

SCORE

England South Africa England New Zealand

N/A

N/A New Zealand Trinidad & Tobago, New Zealand South Africa New Zealand Australia New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand

NWC2019.CO.UK

(round robin) Trinidad & Tobago

Australia

(round robin) (round robin) (round robin) (round robin)

N/A Jamaica New Zealand England Jamaica Jamaica England England

(round robin) (round robin) 53–52 68–48 42–41 49–47 42–38 58–57 58–55

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15

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Back to the future for World Cup glory If experience at World Cups is anything to go by the Silver Ferns are right at the top of the pack heading to the Vitality Netball World Cup in Liverpool.

Captain Laura Langman, former captain Casey Kopua and Maria Folau will be appearing at their fourth World Cups, while another former captain, Katrina Rore, the fourth most-capped Silver Fern in history, has been recalled back into the team.

Kopua says the key to building a winning team with the right attitude starts at training.

“You have to be honest and have those honest conversations but also be real with yourself.

If you are cheating yourself and letting yourself down, you are only letting your mates down. Just be accountable.”

but also the philosophy she has to be a better athlete. I think that is amazing for someone who has been involved for so long to still have that hunger and desire to be better instead of resting on the laurels of either what she has done in the past or a blasé sort of attitude.

Kopua did not ever think she would get to play at four World Cups but her outstanding form for the Magic made her selection guaranteed.

Langman’s record of 151 Tests and three World Cup appearances stands up beside any other international netballer.

“She definitely leads the team with all guns blazing but all her qualities and values as an individual are also what we need to be able to demonstrate as a team.”

“I’m very excited about it. I have had a bit of time away, had (daughter) Maia and came back – so there is a little bit of perspective put on life, this one is a little different.

Coach Noeline Taurua loves Langman’s work ethic, both on and off the court, and says she epitomises what being a professional is all about.

The Silver Ferns squad also includes five Netball World Cup debutantes in Karin Burger, Gina Crampton, Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Jane Watson.

“The experience of this team is a strength.

The youngest is 25 and the oldest is old enough.

Nearly everyone has had game time at a pinnacle event so that is definitely going to be on our side.

“She is definitely an athlete who (has) always wanted to be better and will work to do so. She is willing to put herself out there in regards to her own thinking but has also come to a stage, as she has become more mature and experienced, to have that balance of listening to others and finding which way is the best way moving forward.

Silver Ferns assistant coach Deb Fuller was part of the coaching team four years ago in Sydney when the Silver Ferns defeated Australia in pool play before losing to them in the final by three goals.

“Hopefully (coach Taurua) will bring out the strengths in everybody. I think we are all leaders and can delegate to what we are best at to get the strengths out of the whole group as well.”

“There is so much respect for her because of the amount of test matches she has played

“The mindset we have to go in with is we have to attack every game and going up against Australia we just have to be at our best. It’s about ourselves versus ourselves in the first instance,” Fuller says.

MARIA FOLAU IS ONE OF THREE SILVER FERNS PLAYERS WHO WILL PLAY HER FOURTH WORLD CUP.

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The Silver Ferns play five pool games backto-back from July 12–16 before having a rest day. This is followed by three more stagetwo matches, and then the semi-finals and final are played.

WORLD CUP TEAM

Karin Burger (Pulse) Gina Crampton (Steel) Ameliaranne Ekenasio (Pulse) Maria Folau (Thunderbirds) Phoenix Karaka (Mystics) Casey Kopua (Magic) Laura Langman, Captain (Lightning) Bailey Mes (Mystics) Katrina Rore (Pulse) Shannon Saunders (Steel) Te Paea Selby-Rickit (Steel) Jane Watson (Tactix)

S

E V IL

E F L R R O W

Laura Langman (c)

Karin Burger

Gina Crampton

Age: 33 Position: C, WD, WA International caps: 151 Instagram: @lauz_langman

Age: 26 Position: GK, GD, WD International caps: 5 Instagram: @karin2burger

Age: 27 Position: WA, C International caps: 26 Instagram: @ginacrampton

Casey Kopua

Bailey Mes

Katrina Rore

Age: 34 Position: GK, GD International caps: 104 Instagram: @caseykopua20

Age: 30 Position: GA, GS, WA International caps: 63 Instagram: @baileymes

Age: 32 Position: GD, GK International caps: 125 Instagram: @katrina_rore

D S A U N Q S R P

ELD CU

E V I L

O O RP

9 1 0 L2

Ameliaranne Ekenasio

Maria Folau

Phoenix Karaka

Age: 28 Position: GS, GA International caps: 25 Instagram: @ameliaranne1

Age: 32 Position: GA, GS International caps: 138 Instagram: @mariatutaia

Age: 25 Position: GK, GD International caps: 19 Instagram: @phoenixkaraka

Shannon Saunders

Te Paea Selby-Rickit

Jane Watson

Age: 28 Position: C, WA International caps: 59 Instagram: @shannon_saunders_

Age: 27 Position: GA, GS International caps: 37 Instagram: @teeeps12

Age: 29 Position: GK, GD International caps: 29 Instagram: @janewatsonnz

18

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Netball World Cup Team Profiles Sixteen of the world’s best netball teams will contest the Vitality Netball World Cup at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool from 12–21 July. Get to know each team and their competing history that bit better before getting set to enjoy what promises to be scintillating netball.

AUSTRALIA

TEAM NICKNAME: DIAMONDS CAPTAIN: CAITLIN BASSETT COACH: LISA ALEXANDER WEBSITE: netball.com.au TAB ODDS: $2.00

GROUP A2

NORTHERN IRELAND

TEAM NICKNAME: – CAPTAIN: CAROLINE O’HANLON COACH: DAN RYAN WEBSITE: www.netballni.org TAB ODDS: $501.00

GROUP A3

ZIMBABWE

TEAM NICKNAME: THE GEMS CAPTAIN: P ERPETUA SIYACHITEMA COACH: LLOYD MAKUNDE WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/ netballzimbabwe2019 TAB ODDS: $501.00

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 1 CUPS PLAYED: 14 1963: 1 1967: 2 1971: 1 1983: 1 1987: 2= 1991: 1 2003: 2 2007: 1 2011: 1

HIGHEST FINISH: 1st 1975: 1 1995: 1 2015: 1

1979: 1= 1999: 1 2019:

The Diamonds have dominated the Netball World Cup having won 11 times since the first tournament in England in 1963. The TAB and British bookmakers have the Aussies as favourites but only just ahead of host nation England.

The Diamonds are strong right across the court and have great depth as usual. Coach Lisa Alexander has named a relatively new-look squad to be captained by double World Cup winner Caitlin Bassett with players picked on form in the domestic Suncorp Super Netball league.

The team includes only three players from the triumphant 2015 campaign – Bassett, Caitlin Thwaites and Paige Hadley – and has nine new faces. Not selected were former vice-captain Gabi Simpson and midcourt star Kim Ravaillion, impressive wing defence Jamie-Lee Price has been given the task of stepping up and replacing Simpson. Another player worth watching is brilliant young NSW Swifts defender Sarah Klau who will make her international debut during the tournament.

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 8 CUPS PLAYED: 11 1963: 11 1967: DNQ 1971: 8 1983: 7 1987: 10 1991: 12 2003: 19 2007: DNQ 2011: 8

HIGHEST FINISH: 7th 1975: 9 1995: 18 2015: DNQ

1979: 17 1999: 16 2019:

Northern Ireland enjoyed their highest World Cup finish at the 1983 World Cup in Singapore when they came seventh. The side qualified for Liverpool alongside Scotland at the Regional Qualifier – Europe event held in January last year. This will be their 12th appearance at a Netball World Cup. The team is captained by centre/wing attack Caroline O’Hanlon, who has competed at two previous World Cups in 2003 and 2011. When she is not training or playing netball, she plays Gaelic football for Armagh.

O’Hanlon was the country’s flag bearer during the opening ceremony at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and was part of the Manchester Thunder team that won the Vitality Netball Superleague title in May. Neamh Woods is another versatile and talented athlete who represents Northern Ireland at two sports. On the netball court the 30-year-old plays wing attack and when she is not catching a netball, she plays Gaelic football for Drumragh Sarsfields in County Tyrone.

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 13 CUPS PLAYED: 0 2019:

HIGHEST FINISH: –

It has been a special year to celebrate for Zimbabwe netball as the African nation has qualified to compete at its very first Netball World Cup. Uganda and Zimbabwe sealed their qualification for Netball World Cup 2019 with a day to spare at the Regional Qualifier – Africa. Zimbabwe did it in style defeating Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and Kenya to secure their place at the World Cup. On the court they are capable of playing the fast-paced, highly skilful game much loved by the African nations and have reached 13 in the official INF world rankings.

They are in a tough group where they will face champions Australia as well as Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka in Group A. Headlining the squad are talented players like shooters Pauline Jani and Mercy Mukwadi, while wing attack and captain Perpetua Siyachitema and veteran Patricia Maulad are reliable performers.

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GROUP A1

TEAM PREVIEWS continue page 21 »

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21

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Netball World Cup Team Profiles continued GROUP A4

SRI LANKA

TEAM NICKNAME: – CAPTAIN: C HATHURANGI JAYASOORIYA COACH: THILAKA JINADASA WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/ Netball-Sri-Lanka TAB ODDS: $501.00

GROUP B2 *

MALAWI

TEAM NICKNAME: QUEENS CAPTAIN: WHYTE MLILIMA COACH: QUIBUS REST WEBSITE: netball.sport/commonwealthgames/malawi TAB ODDS: $101.00

GROUP B3

BARBADOS

TEAM NICKNAME: BAJAN GEMS CAPTAIN: RHE-ANN NILES COACH: ANNA SHEPHERD WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/ barbadosnetballassociation TAB ODDS: $501.00

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 19 CUPS PLAYED: 9 1963: 9 1983: 14 1987: 16 1999: 21 2003: 18 2011: 14

HIGHEST FINISH: 9th 1991: 15 2015: 16

1995: 19 2019:

Sri Lanka first participated at the Netball World Cup in 1963 under the country’s former name of Ceylon. It was at this tournament they also claimed their highest finishing position of ninth.

Last year Sri Lanka emerged undefeated from the Regional Qualifier – Asia event to seal their place in Liverpool. It will be their 10th appearance at a World Cup. Goal defence Chathurangi Jayasooriya first represented Sri Lanka aged 19 and has become one of the most reliable players in the team. She is also a talented field events athlete having represented Sri Lanka previously in high, long and triple jump. Outside of netball she is a Commissioned Officer in the Sri Lanka Air Force.

At 208cm tall (6ft 10in) goal shoot Tharjini Sivalingam is bound to cause defenders problems inside the shooting circle. At the 2018 Asian Championships, which was also the regional qualifier event for the region, she recorded a top-class 93 per cent accuracy level.

Gayanjali Amarawansa will make her World Cup debut for Sri Lanka in Liverpool. She has played 32 matches for the team and was awarded the title of best wing attack at the 2015 Asian Youth Netball Championship.

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 6 CUPS PLAYED: 5 HIGHEST FINISH: 5th 1995: 8 1999: 11 2007: 5 2011: 6 2019:

2015: 6

The Malawi Queens produced a shock victory over New Zealand at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

They face the Silver Ferns in the opening round in Liverpool and will be looking for another victory to kick-start their Netball World Cup campaign.

Malawi are ranked fifth in the world and are returning to the world stage for a sixth time. Their top result was in 2007 when they finished fifth.

Two of the best for the Malawi Queens are shooters Mwai Kumwenda and Joyce Mvula.

Kumwenda first represented Malawi playing goal shooter and wing attack at the Youth World Cup in 2009. She has represented Malawi at both the 2011 and 2015 World Cups.

Mvula is an international netball star who played a key role in helping Manchester Thunder win the Vitality Netball Superleague last month. She was also voted by viewers as the Sky Sports Fun Player of the Year.

Mvula is an exciting shooter who has the physical capabilities to play both the goal attack and goal shooter positions. The 24-year-old is slightly shorter than most international shooters but she has the speed and agility to out-fox any defenders. She represented Malawi at the 2015 World Cup in Sydney.

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 12 CUPS PLAYED: 8 HIGHEST FINISH: 6th 1979: 8 1983: DNQ 1987: 6= 1991: DNQ 1999: 10 2003: 7 2007: 13 2011: 11 2019:

1995: 11 2015: 13

Barbados are known as the Bajan Gems. They first appeared at the Netball World Championships in 1979 and have played at eight World Cups. Their highest placing was in 1987 when they finished sixth equal with the Cook Islands.

Netball is the sport of choice for females in Barbados with over 70 teams competing in competitions.

Ranked 12th in the world, the Bajan Gems put on an impressive performance at their regional qualifier, winning every match except for one against Trinidad and Tobago, to qualify for Liverpool.

They face Singapore in their opening match in the first session of the tournament on Friday, July 12.

Two players to watch out for are centre/wing attack Damisha Croney and goal attack Nikita Payne.

Croney has been playing netball for 18 years. She represented Barbados at the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2011 Netball World Cup. Payne will make a record fourth appearance at a Netball World Cup when she turns out in Liverpool after appearing at the 2007, 2011 and 2015 events, plus she competed at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2014. She was just 17 years old when she debuted for the Bajan Gems.

* G ROUP B1 NEW ZEALAND see page 15 for team preview.

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22

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Netball World Cup Team Profiles continued GROUP B4

SINGAPORE

TEAM NICKNAME: – CAPTAIN: V ANESSA MARIE LEE COACH: NATALIE MILICICH WEBSITE: www.netball.org.sg TAB ODDS: $501.00

GROUP C1

JAMAICA

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 24 CUPS PLAYED: 9 HIGHEST FINISH: 8th 1963: DNQ 1967: 8 1971: DNQ 1975: 10 1983: 10 1987: DNQ 1991: 18 1995: 20 2003: DNQ 2007: 15 2011: 15 2015: 15

1979: DNQ 1999: 12 2019:

The Liverpool tournament will be the tenth appearance at a World Cup for the world’s 24th ranked team, Singapore. They have hosted the event twice, in 1983 and 2011.

Singapore qualified for the Netball World Cup by finishing second behind Sri Lanka at the Regional Qualifier – Asia in September last year.

Singapore first participated at the 1967 World Cup in Perth, Australia where they finished eighth out of eight participating nations. This is Singapore’s highest World Cup finish, but their best positional finish is 12th at the 1999 tournament in Christchurch when 26 nations participated.

Centre-court player Carmen Goh is a fulltime doctor and has previously represented Singapore in speed skating at the Southeast Asian Games.

Goal shooter/goal attack Charmaine Soh will play at her third Netball World Cup when she turns out in Liverpool. Kimberly Lim Wei Yan plays wing attack and centre. She competes in Singapore’s semi-professional Super League as part of the Sneakers team.

Singapore are coached by New Zealander Natalie Milicich.

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 3 CUPS PLAYED: 14 1963: 5 1967: 6 1971: 4= 1983: 5 1987: 5 1991: 3 2003: 3 2007: 3 2011: 4

HIGHEST FINISH: 3rd 1975: 5 1995: 5 2015: 4

1979: 5 1999: 4 2019:

Is this the year Jamaica go all the way at a Netball World Cup? The Sunshine Girls have never won the title but will bring some of the best players in the world to Liverpool.

They have played at every World Cup tournament, never finishing worse than sixth with a top placing of third at the 1991, 2003 and 2007 events. The team will be looking to build on the bronze medal they won at the Commonwealth Games last year.

TEAM NICKNAME: SUNSHINE GIRLS Sharp-shooter Jhaniele Fowler is one of the most prolific shooters in world netball. The 29-year-old, who plays for Australian Suncorp Super Netball team West Coast Fever, is one of the most fearCAPTAIN: J HANIELE FOWLER ed players in international netball. Last year she landed an incredible 783 goals for the club – a COACHES: MARVETTE ANDERSON, league record.

SASHER-GAYE HENRY Goal shoot Romelda Aiken gives Jamaica another proven world-class performer. She was part of WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/ Jamaica’s team at both the 2011 and 2015 World Cup tournaments and has gained valuable NetballJamaica experience playing for Australia’s Queensland Firebirds.

TAB ODDS: $5.50 At the other end of the court the Sunshine Girls are well served by Shamera Sterling who is aptly known as the Interception Queen by her Adelaide Thunderbirds’ team-mates.

GROUP C2

SOUTH AFRICA

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 5 CUPS PLAYED: 8 1963: 8 1967: 3 1995: 2 2007: 6 2011: 5 2015: 5

HIGHEST FINISH: 2nd 1999: 5 2003: 5 2019:

South Africa qualified by way of their ranking of fifth in the world. They have featured at eight previous World Cups. In 1995 they finished second behind Australia, which has been their best finish at the event.

Earlier this year they competed in Liverpool in a competitive Quad Series with England, Australia and New Zealand.

TEAM NICKNAME: PROTEAS The Proteas definitely have the skill and power to topple any of the top four ranked sides. They are coached by experienced Australian Norma Plummer who led Australia to World Cup glory in 1975.

CAPTAIN: BONGIWE MSOMI Seven of the team she took to the 2015 tournament are back for Liverpool.

COACH: NORMA PLUMMER WEBSITE: www.netball-sa.co.za Bongiwe Msomi is fiercely proud to captain her country at what will be her third World Cup after TAB ODDS: $26.00 playing in the 2011 and 2015 tournaments. The highly talented wing attack is the first black woman to lead a senior World Cup team.

Goal defence Karla Pretorius made her World Cup debut in Sydney in 2015 and also plays in the Australian domestic league for Sunshine Coast Lightning. Versatile midcourter Erin Burger is another player to watch. South Africa will host the 2023 World Cup in Cape Town.

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24

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Netball World Cup Team Profiles continued GROUP C3

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

TEAM NICKNAME: CALYPSO GIRLS CAPTAIN: J OELISA COOPER COACH: WESLEY “PEPE” GOMES WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/ Netballtrinbago TAB ODDS: $501.00

GROUP C4

FIJI

TEAM NICKNAME: THE PEARLS CAPTAIN: M ATILA WAQAWAI COACH: VICKI WILSON WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/fijinet TAB ODDS: $501.00

GROUP D1

ENGLAND

TEAM NICKNAME: THE ROSES CAPTAIN: SERENA GUTHRIE COACH: TRACEY NEVILLE WEBSITE: www.englandnetball.co.uk TAB ODDS: $3.00

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 10 CUPS PLAYED: 13 HIGHEST FINISH: 1st= 1963: 4 1967: 5 1971: 4= 1975: 4 1979: 1= 1983: 3 1987: 2= 1991: DNQ 1995: 6 1999: 8 2003: 10 2007: 11 2011: 7 2015: 9 2019:

Trinidad and Tobago is the only other country other than Australia and New Zealand to be crowned world champions. The Calypso Girls shared the title with their Antipodean rivals at the 1979 tournament held at home in Port of Spain.

Trinidad and Tobago have competed at 13 of the 14 world tournaments. To go with their shared title, they have also previously placed second and third, while on three occasions they have placed fourth.

They went undefeated throughout the Regional Qualifier – Americas event to qualify for Liverpool.

Wing attack Rhonda John-Davis will set a world record for the number of World Cup appearances when she steps on to the court in Liverpool. She has played at five World Cups – 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 – and Liverpool will be her sixth appearance. This is a record that may take some matching in years to come.

Kalifa McCollin is regarded as one of the most accurate goal attacks in world netball. Her first taste of international competition came at the 2015 World Cup in Sydney where she achieved an impressive 92 per cent shooting average. The 23-year-old has been setting shooting standards ever since and plays for the Celtic Dragons in the Vitality Netball Superleague.

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 14 CUPS PLAYED: 8 HIGHEST FINISH: 6th 1975: 8 1979: DNQ 1983: DNQ 1987: 8 1995: DNQ 1999: 6 2003: 8 2007: 9 2015: 11 2019:

1991: 11 2011: 10

The Pearls are coached by one of Australia’s finest former players, shooter Vicki Wilson.

She has stated how pleased she is with the increased competition for places across all positions in her squad, which she hopes will show in improved performances on court in Liverpool.

This year Fiji Netball Association received a significant financial boost from Australia as part of the Pacific Sports Partnership. This has allowed for extra staff and better-quality training camps in Australia ahead of the World Cup. Fiji prepared for their ninth appearance at a World Cup with Test series against Singapore, the Silver Ferns and Samoa in May and June.

Their best performance at a World Cup tournament came in 1999 when they finished sixth.

Six members of the current squad were also in the side that finished fourth at the Netball World Youth Cup in Botswana in 2017.

Among the more experienced players are veteran defender Matila Waqawai, who will attend her fourth World Cup in July and is the country’s most capped player, while Una Rauluni and Episake Kahatoka were key players at the World Cup in Sydney four years ago.

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 2 CUPS PLAYED: 14 1963: 3 1967: 4 1971: 3 1983: 4 1987: 4 1991: 4 2003: 4 2007: 4 2011: 3

HIGHEST FINISH: 2nd 1975: 2 1979: 4 1995: 4 1999: 3 2015: 3 2019:

Is this the year the England Roses bloom to their full potential? England are second favourites to win their first Netball World Cup and they have proven their capabilities with recent wins over Australia.

In 14 previous attempts, their highest finish was second place in 1975 but with huge home support and a world-class squad they are certainly one of the teams most likely to win in 2019.

Serena Guthrie will captain the Roses. The energetic centre has earned 90 caps since debuting in 2008 and is one of eight members of England’s Commonwealth Games gold-winning team competing in Liverpool. Sitting alongside Guthrie, goalkeeper Geva Mentor and midcourter Jade Clarke are three players worth following at the tournament.

Mentor made her England debut aged 16 and has been leading the England attack for almost two decades. She has 135 England caps and was awarded a CBE in the 2019 Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.

Clarke is England’s most-capped player with 161 caps, and has competed at four World Cups and four Commonwealth Games. Dynamic centre Guthrie made her England debut aged 17 and was named in Suncorp Super Netball’s team of the year for the 2018 season.

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27

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Netball World Cup Team Profiles continued GROUP D2

UGANDA

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 7 CUPS PLAYED: 2 1979: 13 2015: 8 2019:

HIGHEST FINISH: 8th

The Uganda She-Cranes have developed rapidly over the last few years, rising from 15th in the world rankings in 2014 to seventh ahead of the Netball World Cup. They have made two appearances at the tournament. In 1979 they finished 13th equal with St Lucia. Their second World Cup, the 2015 event in Sydney, provided their best finish of 8th place.

The She-Cranes beat Zambia 64-56 on the penultimate day of their regional qualifier to secure their TEAM NICKNAME: THE SHE-CRANES place in Liverpool. They are one of five African teams participating at the event.

CAPTAIN: P EACE PROSCOVIA Uganda have already experienced playing at the venue of this year’s World Cup in Liverpool. Last COACH: RASHID MUBIRU November they took on the Roses in a three-test series, which showed just how competitive WEBSITE: www.ncs.go.ug Uganda will be. England won the series 3–0 but only after being given a real fright by the TAB ODDS: $501.00 She-Cranes in the first two tests.

Goal defence Lilian Ajio is a key player, with the 34-year-old having represented Uganda since 2007, while undoubtedly Uganda’s best player is outstanding shooter Peace Proscovia. She has starred in the Vitality Netball Superleague and in the Suncorp Super Netball league.

GROUP D3

SCOTLAND

TEAM NICKNAME: SCOTTISH THISTLES CAPTAIN: CLAIRE MAXWELL COACH: GAIL PARATA WEBSITE: www.netballscotland.com TAB ODDS: $501.00

GROUP D4

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 9 CUPS PLAYED: 13 HIGHEST FINISH: 5th 1963: 8 1967: 7 1971: 6 1975: 6 1983: 6 1987: 9 1991: 9 1995: 22 2003: 14 2007: 14 2011: DNQ 2015: 12

1979: 9 1999: 20 2019:

Netball in Scotland has witnessed an unprecedented growth off the back of last year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games where the Scottish Thistles achieved their highest-ever world ranking of ninth.

Scotland qualified for Liverpool ahead of home nation rivals Northern Ireland at their Regional Qualifier event last year. The Scottish Thistles have competed at 13 of the 14 Netball World Cups, with a best finish of sixth on three occasions.

A key factor in the team’s improvement has been that 11 of the 12 players named for the Netball World Cup compete in the Vitality Netball Superleague for the Strathclyde Sirens, giving them a great boost to their World Cup preparations.

Scotland will be captained by playmaker Claire Maxwell, who will earn her 100th senior international cap during the opening World Cup stages. At the other end of the experience scale is 17-year-old goal shooter Emma Barrie, who is set to earn her first senior international cap at the Netball World Cup. Players to watch include centre/wing defence Claire Maxwell, goalkeeper/goal defence Ella Gibbons and wing attack Nicola McCleery.

SAMOA

NETBALL WORLD CUP RECORD: INF WORLD RANKING: 15 CUPS PLAYED: 7 1991: 8 1995: 8 1999: 9 2011: 12 2015: 10 2019:

TEAM NICKNAME: – CO-CAPTAINS: GERALDINE SOLIA-GIBB, BROOKE WILLIAMS COACH: FRANCES SOLIA WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/ NetballSamoa TAB ODDS: $501.00

Samoa defeated all four of their regional rivals, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Cook Islands, in the Oceania Qualifiers held in Auckland in April 2018 to confirm their place at this year’s World Cup. Their unbeaten run was highlighted by a 54-43 win over Fiji, who were ranked three places higher than coach Frances Solia’s team.

Samoa made their World Cup debut in Sydney in 1991 and have appeared at seven World Cups.

In 2003 they finished sixth, their highest finish.

Most of the squad play in netball leagues in Australia and New Zealand. Geraldine Solia-Gibb and Brooke Williams have been named as co-captains of the World Cup team.

Solia-Gibb is the youngest of five sisters to have worn the blue netball uniform of Samoa. She is realistic about the task facing her but also positive about her team making an impact.

“I think all of the teams we face will be tough but we will be aiming high no matter what. We are a team of experience and youth and we can’t wait to show the world what we have been doing.”

HIGHEST FINISH: 6th 2003: 6

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28 LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Netball World Cup Match Schedule The 2019 Netball World Cup will see a new format where each team competes in three stages at the tournament: the Preliminaries Stage One from 12–14 July, the Preliminaries Stage Two from 15–18 July and the play-offs and placings matches from 19–21 July.

PRELIMINARIES

STAGE ONE GROUPS GROUP A

A1 AUSTRALIA A2 NORTHERN IRELAND A3 ZIMBABWE A4 SRI LANKA

PRELIMINARIES STAGE ONE

The top eight seeded teams based on their International Netball Federation rankings were split evenly between Groups A, B, C and D. Each team will play three games in the first stage, playing a round-robin within their respective group. The top three finishers in each group will progress to the second round to compete for the 2019 title. The competition schedule for the Preliminaries Stage One is as below. The Stage Two schedule will depend on the results from the first round. Note: All times listed are New Zealand local times and were correct at time of print.

FRIDAY 12 & SATURDAY 13 JULY

C1 JAMAICA C2 SOUTH AFRICA C3 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO C4 FIJI

GROUP D

D1 ENGLAND D2 UGANDA D3 SCOTLAND D4 SAMOA

COURT ONE

OPENING CEREMONY

COURT TWO COURT ONE

SESSION 3

SATURDAY 13 & SUNDAY 14 JULY

Sat 8:00pm—Sun 12:15am

COURT TWO COURT ONE

SESSION 6

SESSION 7

Mon 8:00pm—Tues 12:00am

SESSION 8

COURT TWO COURT ONE

Sun 8:00pm—Mon 12:15am

Sun 2:00am—Mon 6:15am

MONDAY 15 & TUESDAY 16 JULY

COURT TWO COURT ONE

SESSION 4

SESSION 5

SUNDAY 14 & MONDAY 15 JULY

COURT TWO

SESSION 2

Sun 2:00am—Sun 8:30am

Sun 2:00am—Sun 6:15am

PRELIMINARIES STAGE TWO

GROUP C

Fri 8:00pm—Sat 12:15am

Sat 2:00am

GROUP B

B1 NEW ZEALAND B2 MALAWI B3 BARBADOS B4 SINGAPORE

COURT ONE

SESSION 1

Tues 2:00am—Tues 6:00am

COURT TWO

8:00pm 10:00pm 8:25pm 10:25pm 4:00am 6:00am 4:25am 6:25am 8:00pm 10:00pm 8:25pm 10:25pm 2:00am 4:00am 2:25am 4:25am 8:00pm 10:00pm 8:25pm 10:25pm 2:00am 4:00am 2:25am 4:25am

COURT ALLOCATION SUBJECT THREE MATCHES IN GROUP F AND E1 v E2 INCLUDES TO RESULTS FROM AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, NORTHERN IRELAND, MALAWI, ZIMBABWE, BARBADOS, SRI LANKA & SINGAPORE PRELIMINARIES STAGE ONE COURT ALLOCATION SUBJECT TO RESULTS FROM PRELIMINARIES STAGE ONE

SESSION 9

TUESDAY 16 & WEDNESDAY 17 JULY

WEDNESDAY 17 & THURSDAY 18 JULY

Tues 8:00pm—Wed 12:00am

SESSION 10

THREE MATCHES IN GROUP G AND E3 v E4 INCLUDES ENGLAND, JAMAICA, SOUTH AFRICA, UGANDA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, SCOTLAND, FIJI & SAMOA TWO MATCHES IN GROUP E

Wed 2:00am—8:00am

THREE MATCHES IN GROUP F INCLUDES AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND**

SESSION 11

TWO MATCHES IN GROUP E

Wed 8:00pm—Thu 12:00am

SESSION 12

THREE MATCHES IN GROUP G* INCLUDES ENGLAND

SESSION 13

THREE MATCHES IN GROUP F INCLUDES AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND**

SESSION 14

THREE MATCHES IN GROUP G* INCLUDES ENGLAND

Thu 2:00am—8:00am

THURSDAY 18 & FRIDAY 19 JULY

NEW ZEALAND (B1) v MALAWI (B2) AUSTRALIA (A1) v NORTHERN IRELAND (A2) BARBADOS (B3) v SINGAPORE (B4) ZIMBABWE (A3) v SRI LANKA (A4) JAMAICA (C1) v FIJI (C4) ENGLAND (D1) v UGANDA (D2) SOUTH AFRICAN (C2) v TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO (C3) SCOTLAND (D3) v SAMOA (D4) AUSTRALIA (A1) v ZIMBABWE (A3) NEW ZEALAND (B1) v BARBADOS (B3) NORTHERN IRELAND (A2) v SRI LANKA (A4) MALAWI (B2) v SINGAPORE (B4) ENGLAND (D1) v SCOTLAND (D3) JAMAICA (C1) v TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO (C3) UGANDA (D2) v SAMOA (D4) SOUTH AFRICA (C2) v FIJI (C4) NEW ZEALAND (B1) v SINGAPORE (B4) ENGLAND (D1) v SAMOA (D4) MALAWI (B2) v BARBADOS (B3) UGANDA (D2) v SCOTLAND (D3) AUSTRALIA (A1) v SRI LANKA (A4) JAMAICA (C1) v SOUTH AFRICA (C2) NORTHERN IRELAND (A2) v ZIMBABWE (A3) TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO (C3) v FIJI (C4)

Thu 7:30pm—Fri 1:30am

Fri 3:00am—9:00am ** Group G games subject to England being placed 1st—3rd in their Preliminaries Stage One group. ** Subject to Australia and New Zealand finishing in positions 1—3 in their Preliminaries Stage One groups.

PLAY-OFFS AND PLACINGS

LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019 SESSION 15

15th/16th placing match (Group E 3rd v 4th) and 13th/14th placing match (Group E 1st v 2nd)

SESSION 16

Group F 4th v Group G 3rd and Group F 3rd v Group G 4th Sport Relief Celebrity Match

SESSION 17

11th/12th placing match (Group F 6th v Group G 6th) Semi-final One

SESSION 18

Semi-final Two 9th/10th placing match (Group F 5th v Group G 5th)

SESSION 19

7th/8th placing match (losers of session 16 games) 5th/6th placing match (winners of session 16 games)

SESSION 20

Bronze medal match WORLD CUP FINAL

Fri 8:00pm—Sat 12:00am

FRIDAY 19 & SATURDAY 20 JULY

Sat 2:00am—7:00am

Sat 8:00pm—Sun 12:00am

SATURDAY 20 & SUNDAY 21 JULY

Sun 2:00am—6:00am

Sun 8:00pm—Mon 12:00am

SUNDAY 21 & MONDAY 22 JULY

Mon 1:30am—6:30am

29

COMPETITION SCHEDULE MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE ORDER OF MATCHES IN EACH SESSION IS SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION.

COMPETITION FORMAT

All times listed are New Zealand local times and were correct at time of print. For up-to-date information on the 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup, visit www.nwc2019.co.uk 12—14 JULY PRELIMINARIES STAGE ONE

15—18 JULY PRELIMINARIES STAGE TWO 1

2

1

3 4

2

F

1

B

4 6

3

1

4

C

3 5

2

1

2

G

2 3

D

3 4

SEMI-FINAL 2

3—4

4 4 3

3 4

1

3

—4

5—6

5 6

7—8

7 8

5

9

5

5

10

6

E

2

4

1

2

1

FINAL

2

3

4 1

FINAL PLACINGS

SEMI-FINAL

1

A

19—21 JULY PLAY-OFFS & PLACINGS

2 3 4

6

11

6

12

1

13

2

14

3

15

4

16

PRELIMINARIES STAGE ONE (12—14 JULY)

Teams will compete in four round-robin groups (A, B, C and D) which each consist of four teams. Teams were assigned to their preliminary groups by seeding based on their world rankings. The top eight teams were pre-assigned to groups, with one team from the 9th—12th seeds and one from the 13th—16th seeds drawn randomly into each group. The top three finishers in each group will then progress to the Preliminaries: Stage Two to compete for the title.

PRELIMINARIES STAGE TWO (15—18 JULY)

In the second stage of the competition, the top three teams from groups A and B will form GROUP F, and the top three teams from groups C and D will form GROUP G. The bottom four finishers from groups A—D will compete for 13th—16th places in GROUP E. Where teams in groups F and G have already played each other in the Preliminaries Stage One (i.e. A1 has already played A2 and A3), these results will carry through to the Preliminaries Stage Two. PLAY-OFFS AND PLACINGS (19—21 JULY)

GROUP F and GROUP G: The teams finishing first and second in groups F and G will go through to the semi-finals, with the top placed team in each group facing the second placed team in the other group.

The winners of each semi-final will compete for gold in the final, with the losers playing for bronze. The teams finishing third and fourth in groups F and G will compete for final positions fifth to eighth — third in one group plays fourth in the other — with the winners playing off for fifth place and the losers for seventh. The teams that finish fifth in groups F and G will play-off for ninth and 10th places.

The teams that finish last in groups F and G will play-off for 11th and 12th places.

GROUP E: The top two teams from group E will play-off for 13th and 14th place and the bottom two teams will play-off for 15th and 16th place.

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LIVERPOOL | 12–21 July 2019

Question Time: The Silver Ferns at the Netball World Cup 1. Who coached the Silver Ferns to four Netball World Cups, winning two?

2. Which Silver Fern legend competed at five World Cups for two different countries?

3. What New Zealand city hosted the Netball World Cup in 1999?

4. At which Netball World Cups have the Silver Ferns won the title on their own?

5. The Silver Ferns also shared one title – what year and who with?

6. How many Silver Ferns players will compete in Liverpool at their fourth Netball World Cup? 7. Which is the only nation other than New Zealand and Australia to contest a World Cup final?

8. How many times has New Zealand hosted the Netball World Cup? 9. In the World Cup final in 2003, New Zealand’s Temepara Bailey (née George) was sent off for “persistent offending”. How long did she have to go off for?

10. When and where did the Silver Ferns win their first World Cup title?

11. When and where did the Silver Ferns win their last title?

AMELIARANNE EKENASIO.

12. Who is the most capped player in the Silver Ferns team to contest the 2019 Netball World Cup? 13. Who captained the Silver Ferns the last time they won the World Cup? 14. New Zealand and Australia played in the final at the first World Cup to be played indoors. Where and when was that held?

15. The Silver Ferns are drawn in Group B at this year’s Netball World Cup. Who are the other three teams in their pool?

16. Who was coach of the Silver Ferns the last time they won the Netball World Cup? 17. Every player that has taken the court for the Silver Ferns has been awarded a cap number. Who is number one?

RUTH AITKEN, LEFT, AND IRENE VAN DYK.

18. Who coached the Silver Ferns at the last Netball World Cup played in Sydney in 2015?

19. The Silver Ferns have selected five Netball World Cup debutantes for Liverpool.

Who are they?

20. How many Silver Ferns players have reached the 100-game milestone?

ANSWERS:

30

1. Dame Lois Muir. 2. Irene van Dyk (South Africa 2, Silver Ferns, 3). 3. Christchurch. 4. 1967, 1987, 2003.

5.1979 with Australia and Trinidad and Tobago. 6. Three (Laura Langman, Casey Kopua, Maria Folau). 7. South Africa (in 1995). 8. Three times (Auckland in 1975 and 2007, and Christchurch in 1999). 9. Until three goals were scored. 10. 1967 in Perth, Australia. 11. 2003 in Kingston, Jamaica. 12. Laura Langman. 13. Anna Stanley (née Rowberry). 14. Sydney in 1991. 15. Malawi, Barbados and Singapore. 16. Ruth Aitken (in 2003). 17. Margaret Matangi. 18. Waimarama Taumaunu. 19. Karin Burger, Gina Crampton, Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Te Paea SelbyRickit and Jane Watson. 20. Seven – Lesley Rumball, Irene van Dyk, Laura Langman, Maria Folau, Leana de Bruin, Casey Kopua, Katrina Rore.

WAIMARAMA TAUMAUNU.

NETBALLNZ.CO.NZ

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