Wakeup call for Silver Ferns
WAKEY wakey, girls: The Silver Ferns’ sluggishness is potentially their greatest enemy in their Netball World Cup semifinal against England today.
New Zealand have been switched on once during this tournament in Sydney.
The result was a sensational 52-47 win over Australia.
A quality 60 minutes has eluded them since and they have lost quarters to both Jamaica and Malawi. They sealed their place in the last four last night by beating Uganda 76-33 in Maria Tutaia’s 100th test. The Silver Ferns went on to win both matches but won’t get off so lightly if they surrender 15 minutes to England.
If they can rouse themselves to the levels of the Diamonds match, New Zealand need not fear anything that England have got. All of which is a little ironic when you consider Ferns centre Laura Langman’s characterisation of them.
‘‘I would describe them as the sleeping giant,’’ Langman said.
‘‘They’ve run quite similar lines, like their midcourt’s had quite a good outing, and they’re improving every game.
‘‘Obviously they’ve got players out there that have got significant experience in [the] ANZ [Championship], so they will have intel on us, so to speak.
‘‘I would describe them as the sleeping giant and not to be taken lightly.’’
No team with a goal shoot of Jo Harten’s calibre can be disregarded.
Jade Clarke and Serena Guthrie are as hard as nails, and England have size and strength in the defensive circle, courtesy of the rotation of Geva Mentor, Eboni Beckford-Chambers and Sonia Mkoloma.
The Silver Ferns will need to work hard to win their individual battles and hope that adds up to a victory. The tussle between Harten and her Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic team-mate Casey Kopua will be among the better ones.
Aside from being a good player, Harten is a particularly vocal one too. ‘‘We both like to yell,’’ Kopua said. ‘‘It’s just going to be a good game in general. She knows about me, I know about her.’’
The stakes have gone right up, as well. Not least because the players’ loved ones are around.
Kopua got a bit emotional talking about what it was like to represent your country. ‘‘There’s those days where you see your mates and your family going to do other stuff but I’d rather be where I am and doing what I’m doing with our team,’’ she said.
‘‘Today all our family is starting to arrive and to have that feeling, which is quite hard to describe, when you’re out on court but you’re playing for your team and for pretty much everybody that’s in that stadium supporting you. We wouldn’t be here without our families and that’s the main reason we play.’’
Written down, that might look a little trite. But there was real feeling in Kopua’s voice. It might be that the arrival of the Silver Ferns’ nearest and dearest does the trick.