Netball New Zealand confirms 2018 Calendar
The Silver Ferns will build towards one of their busiest international seasons where they will aim to defend both the Netball Quad Series crown and Taini Jamison Trophy.
Netball New Zealand has confirmed the international calendar for 2018 which runs alongside the domestic calendar which includes the ANZ Premiership
The inclusion of the Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast in April will add to an action-packed season which starts with England and South Africa hosting the Netball Quad Series in January.In January the Silver Ferns will travel to London to play the England Roses before heading to Johannesburg to meet the South Africa Proteas and Australian Diamonds.
They will have a final warm-up for the Commonwealth Games when New Zealand host a four day tournament at the North Shore Events Centre in Auckland, where Silver Ferns, Jamaica Sunshine Girls, Malawi Queens and Fiji Pearls will play off for the Taini Jamison Trophy.
The Netball Quad Series returns to New Zealand and Australia in September with the Silver Ferns taking on the England Roses in Auckland as part of a double header with the Australian Diamonds taking on the South Africa Proteas.
The action then moves on to Tauranga where the Silver Ferns take on the South Africa Proteas, before crossing the ditch to play the Australian Diamonds.
The international season will climax with a four-test series against the Australian Diamonds for the Constellation Cup in October.NNZ chief executive Jennie Wyllie said it was an “impressive line-up” of international competition for the Silver Ferns.
“It’s an exciting year for netball when you include the Commonwealth Games into the mix, and the Silver Ferns will have an opportunity to test themselves against a number of our netballing rivals throughout the season,” she said.
“The Netball Quad Series, as shown this year, has become a tightly contested event while the Taini Jamison Trophy is a special event which the netballing community here cherish.
The international season is going to finish with that exciting Trans-Tasman rivalry we all enjoy.
”Tickets will go on sale to the public for the Taini Jamison Trophy on Friday 15 December.
On sale dates for the remaining International Test matches will be announced shortly.
2018 International Calendar:Netball Quad Series - versus England Roses, in London (Saturday, January 20); versus South Africa Proteas, in Johannesburg, South Africa (Thursday, January 25); versus Australian Diamonds, in Johannesburg, South Africa (Sunday, January 28).
Taini Jamison Trophy - teams include Silver Ferns, Jamaica Sunshine Girls, Malawi Queens and Fiji Pearls, at North Shore Events Centre, Auckland (March 21-24).
Netball Quad Series – versus England Roses, in Auckland (Saturday, September 15); versus South Africa Proteas, in Tauranga (Tuesday, September 18); versus Australian Diamonds, in Australia (Saturday, September 22).Constellation Cup – versus Australian Diamonds, in New Zealand on Sunday, October 14 at Claudelands Arena in Hamilton; Thursday, October 18 at TSB Bank Arena in Wellington.