Diamonds top seed

NETBALL rankings for next year’s Commonwealth Games will surprise nobody with host and defending champion Australia at No.1.

The Diamonds top the list ahead of New Zealand’s Silver Ferns. Nine months out from the games, the International Netball Federation has confirmed the 12 nations to compete on the Gold Coast, based on current world rankings.

Uganda will debut at this level, having jumped to ninth in the rankings after victory at the Africa Netball Cup.

Scotland sneaks in as the 12th qualifier, ahead of Trinidad and Tobago.

All five Commonwealth Games netball finals have been trans-Tasman affairs. Australia won the first two before the Silver Ferns snared gold in 2006 and 2010.

World champions Australia dominated the 2014 final in Glasgow, winning 58-40.