A new era dawns for international Netball
After five years in the planning, the SANZEA Netball Quad Series will finally make its debut with a blockbuster doubleheader in Auckland on Saturday, bringing together four of the top nations in the game – Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa.
Not only is it a brand new competition, but there are four new leaders at the helm of those international sides, and a whole new generation of Netball stars on the rise.
Netball New Zealand CEO Jennie Wyllie says it’s an exciting time in world Netball: “It was a massive journey to get this up and running, and I know the competition is going to be fierce and intense.”
GET TICKETS: Netball Quad Series doubleheader at Vector Arena, Saturday 27 August
Leading the Silver Ferns for the first time will be new captain Katrina Grant, under the guidance of debutant coach Janine Southby.
Grant, with 79 Test Caps to her name, promises to be the same straight-shooting leader as she’s been for the Central Pulse in recent years.
Did being handed the Silver Ferns captaincy come as a surprise? “Well, I wanted to be in a leadership role somehow,” Grant said at the series launch at Vector Arena yesterday. “And I’m pretty lucky that [vice-captain] Laura Langman has my back.”
Southby admits she will feel both proud and emotional lining up for the national anthem before the Silver Ferns’ opening match against the England Roses on Saturday afternoon. She’s confident the Ferns line-up she will stand alongside is a team “for now and for the future”.
England also have a new captain in outstanding defender Ama Agbeze – who made her international debut for the Roses 15 years ago. “It’s been a very, very long road!” she laughs.
The world champion Australian Diamonds will be led into battle by Clare McMeniman, who was also called on to be acting captain in a series against England earlier this year.
Fresh from the Queensland Firebirds’ victory in the ANZ Championship, McMeniman believes she is at the top of her game simply because she took two years away from the sport.
She wanted to experience other things in life – working as a speech pathologist, doing adult ballet classes and holidaying with her now fiancé Luke. “If I hadn’t had that time away I wouldn’t be here now. But it’s bloody hard work to come back again!”
Bongi Msomi will lead South Africa’s SPAR Proteas for the first time when they play the Diamonds in the opening encounter of Saturday’s doubleheader. The world No. 5 team were rocked when they lost their captain and experienced goal attack Maryke Holtzhausen with an ACL injury during the SPAR national championships in Durban two weeks ago, but Msomi is relishing the chance to lead her country.
“It’s definitely an honour for myself to be called up as captain. I have amazing management on my side,” she says of a leadership team which includes Australian Netball stalwart Norma Plummer.
When asked who the fans should look out for in the exciting young Proteas side, Msomi said: “Definitely look at the whole lot of us! We’ve been doing so well as a team in our trainings. We just want to improve every time we go out on court.”
The Netball Quad Series will be an ongoing fixture on the international calendar, with more Tests in Hamilton, Adelaide and Melbourne next week; and clashes in England and South Africa early next year.
Netball New Zealand chairman John Bongard sums up the importance: “I think it’s going to be a cornerstone of global Netball. It’s going to give more international exposure to all of our players and help to grow the competitiveness of the game.”
Can’t make it to Vector Arena? Fans can catch all the action LIVE on SKY Sport NZ 1 starting from 3pm (#AUSvRSA), followed by #NZLvENG from 5pm. Prime will also show delayed coverage of the Silver Ferns v England Roses match at 7pm.