Inside the Silver Ferns camp with Courtney Tairi

Well the action is well underway in Cape Town as our Silver Ferns fight for the 2023 Netball World Cup title.

Things are heating up as we head to the pointy end of the tournament, and to get all the inside goss from South Africa, we’ve turned to Sky Sport broadcaster and former Silver Fern Courtney Tairi, who is stationed alongside the Ferns in Cape Town, for an insider’s report into what life is like at the Netball World Cup.

“Oh my gosh, it is absolutely BUZZING here in Cape Town,” Tairi said.

“You can feel the excitement around the whole city. Everywhere you go there are fan zones, activations, Netball World Cup promotions and volunteers – it really is like netball has taken over.

“Cape Town is stunning. It is very picturesque with Table Mountain in the background of a vibrant waterfront city. The people are amazing and the food and wine is world-class - trust me! The city itself is very modern with some outstanding sport facilities.”

The Ferns have been in Cape Town for a few weeks now and have definitely made themselves at home, with their preparation including warm-up matches with other World Cup nations.

“They played Fiji and Malawi which was great for their preparation as it’s two very different styles of netball. It allows Dame Noels to try player combinations and test them against international opponents.

“The Ferns are looking GREAT, and the vibe amongst the team is a feeling of readiness. You can sense that the team is calm, they know the hard work has been done and they are absolutely ready to keep on working and grinding through.”

This Netball World Cup is the first on the African continent and comes at a great time with South Africa turning out some impressive performances under the leadership of formidable Aussie, Norma Plumber. And with up-and-coming teams such as Tonga and Uganda already proving their mettle, pool matches have never been this exciting.

For Courtney, she’s been hard at work reporting on stories from the sideline, as well as keeping those on social media up-to-date with what’s happening across the Netball World Cup.

“A typical day here for me consists of around 10 interviews across different platforms, from TV broadcast to social media to radio. We are also filming content and stories on the ground to give everyone at home a sense of what it’s like here for teams and fans.”

And while there have been some security considerations for making sure everyone is safe in South Africa, Courtney said it’s been a safe and peaceful experience.

“We were pre-warned before we got here about safety and making smart decisions like not walking at night. There is plenty of security around, and teams have assigned guards - some of them are even in disguise. The Ferns also have a police escort for their team bus which is both safe and handy to help them get to training on time.”

For Courtney, who has embraced her broadcast career since she retired from professional netball, it’s so far been the stuff dreams are made of - of course, the cherry on the top would be a Ferns win.

"This is the best job in the world,” Courtney said.

“I feel so grateful to be able to support, showcase and share their stories with New Zealand and the world. I think my background is helpful and reassuring for the Ferns who are going through all the intense times of the World Cup right now - I think they know that I have an understanding of their requirements, and I can relate to them on an athlete level.

“And of course, we all want the same thing – a Silver Ferns gold!”