Coventry Telegraph

WASPS READY TO CREATE A BUZZ IN NEW ZEALAND

- By ADAM MANNING

WASPS Netball will be testing themselves against some of the best teams in the world when they travel to New Zealand next month.

The two-time Vitality Netball Superleagu­e champions will be competing in Super Club, a tournament organised by Netball New Zealand, from Sunday, December 8 to Friday, December 13.

The tournament will feature New Zealand’s six ANZ Premiershi­p teams along with Wasps Netball from England and Collingwoo­d Magpies Netball from Melbourne, Australia.

It will mark the first competitio­n the Black and Golds have competed in outside of the UK.

Mel Mansfield’s side will get the chance to test themselves against reigning ANZ Premiershi­p champions Central Pulse.

The competitio­n will see 20 games played over five days at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson, culminatin­g in the Grand Final. Wasps Netball have been drawn in Pool A and will start their campaign against Invercargi­ll’s Southern Steel on December 8, before taking on Central Pulse the following day and facing Christchur­ch’s Mainland

Tactix on December 10. Wasps Netball head coach Mansfield said: “We’ve had a very successful few years on the domestic level and this will be a great opportunit­y to test ourselves against some of the best teams in the world.

“To play against opposition of this calibre will be top preparatio­n for the Vitality Netball Superleagu­e season, which gets underway in February.

“There is a great buzz around netball in New Zealand at the moment, especially after they won the World Cup in Liverpool earlier this year and the ANZ Premiershi­p is going from strength to strength.

“We’ve looked great in training so far this pre-season and the squad are working tirelessly to be in the best possible position to regain the Superleagu­e title next year.

“The squad are excited to get out there to New Zealand, we know it will be a big challenge but it’s one we’re all looking forward to,” she added.

Fans can follow the action from New Zealand on social media through the Wasps Netball Twitter feed.

For more informatio­n about the tournament visit www.netballsup­erclub.com or head to www. waspsnetba­ll.co.uk

To play against opposition of this calibre will be top preparatio­n for the Superleagu­e season. Mel Mansfield

 ??  ?? Mel Mansfield
Mel Mansfield

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