It’s the end of an era for Neville girls
Perfect Marc ends the Black and Whites’ hoodoo at Leeds
ENGLAND’s netballers were in tears despite winning their sixth World Cup bronze — their third in a row.
The Commonwealth Games gold medalists know they may never play together again with several players on the verge of retirement and head coach Tracey Neville taking time out from the sport.
Neville (below) revealed on the eve of the Liverpool tournament that she would bid farewell to the Roses in order to “commit to her ambition to have a family”.
“I will never say it is going to be last one,” said Neville in the minutes after yesterday’s win. “It is my last one for the moment. I have some personal things I want to achieve.
“Right now I just feel elated. This was a gruelling tournament and it’s been a gruelling four years.
“The tears now are because these players have become my friends and family, the people I live with day in and day out.”
The hosts played as though the pressure on them had evaporated after Saturday’s 47-45 defeat to New Zealand destroyed any hope of their reaching a first World Cup final.
Shooter Jo Harten admitted there were more than a few tears as England huddled together at the end of the game and the team contemplated what might have been.
Harten said: “It’s hard to imagine being without Tracey. We’re all such believers in her work now. She’s got such passion and we have a real love for her in this squad.
“It was nice to finish with a win and a pretty good performance, although obviously it’s tough when you’ve got just 24 hours to pick yourself up from a devastating loss.”
After a shaky start England took the lead in the seventh minute of the match and never relinquished it, with a sparkling Helen Housby scoring 29 goals from 29 attempts.
New Zealand shocked Australia in the final to win their first World Cup for 16 years.
A late Ameliaranne Ekenasio penalty settled it as the Silver Ferns overcame the holders 52-51. MARC SNEYD proved Hull FC’s nerveless match winner once again as his side ended their Headingley hoodoo and ramped up the pressure at the bottom of the table.
Lee Radford’s side had not won at Leeds since 2007 – when he was captain – and despite controlling the majority of the game found themselves behind in the closing stages.
But then Sneyd kept his cool from the right-hand touchline after Ratu Naulago’s try, on an afternoon when Rhyse Martin and him kicked a perfect nine goals from all angles.
“He looked as confident as ever stroking the ball,” said Radford of his scrum-half. “I knew their man was a high-percentage kicker and kicking goals was going to be big for us.”
The Hull coach was also delighted to break the drought on this ground ahead of Saturday’s Challenge Cup semi-final with Warrington.
Radford added: “It’s been too long. I got told it was the 10th anniversary a few years ago and it really surprised me.
“Every year since then it’s been high on
PWour agenda to win here and it’s good that it’s gone.” Defeat for Leeds – and London’s win over under-strength St Helens – means that just two points now separate the bottom five.
Rhinos coach Richard Agar said: “We’ve got a dejected changing room, but still a very determined one. The effort was much better than last week and if we brush up in a couple of areas, we’ll be fine.”
Hull breezed into an early 12-0 lead. Sika Manu crashed over in the opening stages before Bureta Faraimo took a spectacular catch from Sneyd’s cross-field kick to score.
Konrad Hurrell cut the gap to six at the break, but Hull appeared to have restored control as Jamie Shaul finished a Josh Griffin break and Sneyd’s long-range penalty made it 20-6. Then the Rhinos stirred.
Jack Walker sent Tom Briscoe over out wide, before Ash Handley raced 90-metres to score. When Briscoe completed his double and Martin kicked a third touchline conversion, Leeds were in front.
But Nathan Peteru then fumbled the resulting kick-off and Hull took full advantage, Naulago stretching out to score and Sneyd adding the decisive kick from out wide.
DLFA