Ferns’ World Cup side only half sorted
Noeline Taurua probably has half her Silver Ferns squad locked in for July’s netball World Cup.
Now, she just needs the rest of the country’s top netballers to scrap it out for the remaining six spots in the 12-player squad and prove why they should be in Liverpool for the global tournament.
New Zealand avoided the embarrassment of returning from the Quad Series in England without a win, by edging a vastly improved South Africa 62-60 in a double extra time thriller in London yesterday.
That saw the Ferns finish third in the series and keep them off the bottom of the table, somewhere they’ve never been since the tournament was first staged in 2016. Australia captured their third straight Quad Series, despite losing 52-49 to England in the late game in London.
The Silver Ferns return to New Zealand and then disperse to their various national premiership league sides with the Kiwi domestic competition beginning on February 24.
Coach Taurua will head to the Sunshine Coast Lightning in Australia, along with Ferns captain Laura Langman, while Maria Folau will turn out for the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
Taurua will closely track players in the Kiwi league, having watched video of every match last season from Australia, even before being appointed Ferns coach.
Everything is on the line with the national premiership effectively being an audition for the final spots in the Ferns’ World Cup squad. New Zealand only have June’s Taini Jamison Trophy against yet to be confirmed opposition before they fly out for the tournament.
‘‘If I’m going to be honest, I reckon there’s roughly around six that I think would be a spine,’’ Taurua told Stuff.
‘‘The issue I have, if I’m going to be honest, is there’s players like Laura [Langman], where I can play Laura at centre or Laura at wing defence.’’
The conundrum Taurua faces is Langman is both the Ferns’ premier centre and wing defence. If Langman plays centre, the issue becomes who starts at wing defence, and vice versa, who plays centre, if she wears the ‘WD’ bib.
‘‘I think it’s still open for players and now they have to perform in their own individual position and stand up and pick themselves.’’
Veterans Langman, Folau, and Casey Kopua will be there in Liverpool, while starting defender Jane Watson has surely earned her spot on the back of strong play to finish 2018 and the Northern Quad Series.
Gina Crampton hasn’t sparkled at wing attack, but her experience and connections with the rest of the midcourt and shooters mean she’s the No 1 option in that position for worlds.
Goal attack Ameliaranne Ekenasio and wing defence Karin Burger were the big winners of the tour and have gone a long way to locking down their berths. Midcourter Sam Sinclair was the most disappointing Fern in England and will need a big domestic season with the Magic.
Other than that, it’s wide open with axed former skipper and 125-test veteran Katrina Rore (nee Grant) and 37-test shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit among the players with the biggest points to prove in the New Zealand competition. ‘‘I haven’t taken anybody out of the picture. I don’t think we can afford to do that,’’ Taurua said.
Taurua praised Burger, who nailed down a starting spot at wing defence by the end of the series, and pulled off three intercepts and some tenacious defensive play against her birth country, South Africa.
‘‘What I’m hoping we’ll do is people will stand up when they’re playing for their own club and they’ll put their hand up like Karin and Ameliaranne have done and say ‘pick me’.’’
South Africa, with many of their leading players competing professionally in Australia or England, are no longer easybeats.