NZ Netball Team En Route To Glasgow

After months if not years of planning, the New Zealand Netball team are finally on their way to the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games leaving Auckland late last night after an official farewell function in Takapuna.

Members of the 1987 World Championship winning Netball team which won gold in Glasgow were in attendance at the function, gifting each of the NZ team and management a beautiful charm gift in what was a poignant moment for the players both past and present.

NZ Netball team coach Waimarama Taumaunu can lay claim to being in both camps, as she was also in the team which won gold 27 years ago in the Scottish city.

Auckland radio personality Mel Homer was the guest MC for the evening, a Q & A session with NZ team captain Casey Kopua proving popular with the VIP guests. Netball New Zealand (NNZ) Chief Executive Hilary Poole and NNZ Board Chair John Bongard spoke to the guests and wished the team safe travels and the best of luck in their campaign for gold.

Straight after the cocktail function the team changed out of their official Commonwealth Games uniforms and into their comfy travelling gear, heading directly to the airport.

The long-haul flights to the other side of the world takes the team via Singapore, plus a 12 hour flight to London followed by a three-hour bus ride to the English city of Bath.

The NZ Netball team are the two-time Commonwealth Games defending champions and play five pool matches against Malawi, Scotland, Northern Ireland, St Lucia and Jamaica before the semi-finals stage of the competition. Main rivals Australia and England are on the other side of the draw in Pool B.

After a week acclimatising in Bath, the team will travel north to Glasgow, moving into the Athlete’s Village for the duration of the Games.

For more information on the Commonwealth Games, please click here.