Netball: Ferns focused despite favouritism

Hot favourites New Zealand open their gold-medal quest today against 500-1 outsiders St Vincent and the Grenadines, who are ranked No 13 of the 24 teams playing in Melbourne.

It is almost certain to be a one-sided affair, but the Silver Ferns are rating their opposition as unpredictable.

Anna Rowberry, back in the Silver Ferns fold after 18 months in the wilderness because of ruptured knee ligaments, said her team would concentrate on developing their own game against St Vincents because of that factor.

Despite her experience, Rowberry, who led her country to win the world championship in 2003, is not assured of a starting spot because the leadership of the team now lies with fellow midcourters, captain Adine Wilson and Temepara George.

Rowberry admits there is some "unfinished business".

She and Belinda Colling are the only survivors of New Zealand's narrow loss to Australia in the first Commonwealth Games netball final, in Kuala Lumpur in 1988, while she, Colling, Irene van Dyk and Vilimaina Davu were involved in the heartbreaking double overtime loss to the Australians in Manchester. It means that Australia have two Commonwealth gold medals to New Zealand's none.

"Sport can be cruel," said Rowberry, who added that lessons had been learned and there was a confidence and determination in the current squad - most of whom haven't been to a Games before - to win in Melbourne.

She said there was no complacency despite New Zealand's huge 61-36 win against the Australians in Auckland last October .

"The Australians are looking pretty sharp they have stepped up since October."

The Silver Ferns are looking sharp also. They have put behind them the sadness of shooter Jodi Te Huna's injury and are bristling with enthusiasm for their first match.

- NZPA