Netball: Aussies on track for Games gold No 2

By JULIE ASH

The Australian side are on their way to Wales confident they have done enough to repeat their 1998 Commonwealth Games gold-medal-winning performance.

The Australians flew to Cardiff yesterday, where they will spend the week practising against the Australian Institute of Sport team, who are travelling to Manchester as their training partners.

Australia beat New Zealand 42-39 to win gold in Kuala Lumpur, the first time netball was included as an official sport. Less than two weeks out from the Games, they look on track to claiming gold medal No 2.

While the New Zealand team were confirmed just over a week ago, the Australian side were named in late April.

For the last 2 1/2 months they have been strengthening combinations and working on ways to combat Jamaica, the Silver Ferns and, in particular, Ferns shooter Irene van Dyk.

The Silver Ferns, on the other hand, are still forming combinations and have a lot of work to do on eliminating errors and performing for a full 60 minutes.

Luckily, the Ferns are in the easier of two pools - along with Canada, Sri Lanka, England and Wales - which will let them iron out any problems before they meet heavyweights Jamaica and Australia.

Australia have a more challenging road to the semifinals, facing Barbados, Fiji, South Africa and Jamaica.

Not that this bothers coach Jill McIntosh.

"To win the gold you have to get past all the teams," she said. "I don't have a problem being in the harder side of the draw. I think it keeps everyone on their toes.

"Unlike some of the other sports, netball has all of its top nations there. It is like a world champs for us."

McIntosh expected a three-way tussle between Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica. "I don't think England are quite at that level. They are not far away, but I don't see them challenging for one of the top three places.

"I believe Jamaica are there already. They beat New Zealand in February. They were five goals away from us in 1999 and two goals away from New Zealand."

McIntosh was in New Zealand to watch the Silver Ferns crush Barbados and said although it was one-sided, she was able to take away "a bit" of information.

"It was good to see the players out there and the combinations that were run. Although we know the players as individuals, it was good to see them together and live."

The Australian coach since 1994, McIntosh is familiar with all the New Zealand players apart from shooting sensation Daneka Wipiiti.

"Daneka is a good back-up for Irene [van Dyk]. She is tall, she is accurate with her shots and not afraid to go to the post, which is a good attribute to have at such a young age. I think she'll go from strength to strength."

Netball New Zealand had to apply through the National Olympic Committee for dispensation to select van Dyk, a former South African, and Fijian goal-keep Vilimaina Davu in their Manchester team, something Netball Australia believes should have been declined.

"The rules were there and the rules were got around and Irene and Vilimaina were given the green light to play," McIntosh said. "So be it. We have played against Irene for a while now so it is not as if it is anything new to combat. We have been working on that for a while now."

Along with a new coach, Ruth Aitken, the New Zealand team include four changes from the side who lost a three-test series to Australia 2-1 last October.

"Apart from Daneka all of the players have played for the Ferns before," McIntosh said, "so it is not as if Ruth is bringing in players that haven't been there - I certainly don't think she is losing anything."

One worry for McIntosh is the health of her captain, Kathryn Harby-Williams.

Stricken by a virus which has kept her bedridden for the last week, she stayed at home when the team left for Britain, saying she felt as if she had been "hit by a truck."

The seasoned defender is expected to fly out tomorrow.

Full coverage:
nzherald.co.nz/manchester2002

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