KEY POINTS:
The world netball championship is no longer a two-horse race, England coach Marg Caldow says.
Caldow, a former Australian netball captain, was the mastermind behind England's first win in 32 years over New Zealand earlier this year.
Vastly improved fitness levels and coolness under pressure in the closing quarter saw England down the Silver Ferns 50-45 in Manchester in May.
"For the first time, this championship is open, it's up for grabs and I think it's fantastic for the sport itself," Caldow told NZPA.
"I think it'd be a fair comment to say everyone in the netball fraternity is tired of Australia and New Zealand playing off for the main medal.
"For the first time in a long, long time, there's a genuine feeling out there that there are other teams who are competitive."
That didn't just include England, Caldow said, with Jamaica and South Africa both capable of upsetting the top two ranked teams.
"We know Jamaica can be a little inconsistent with performance at times but if they get it together, they're very capable on any given day of beating anyone. And I know South Africa are working really hard, they're rebuilding and they're coming back strongly.
"For the sport itself, the more teams we can have up there, the uncertainty of who is going to win, the better for the game," she said. "We need more teams to be up and pressing."
Caldow, who has been at England's helm for the past four years, is happy with the team's build-up this year, following good performances against South Africa in January, New Zealand and Australia in May, and a 3-0 series win over Jamaica in September.
The Jamaicans gave a glimpse of what they can achieve in that series, bouncing back from a 32-52 pasting in the first test for two narrow losses, 45-46 and 45-49.
"We're really pleased, we feel we're on track at the moment. There's still a little polishing going on, but we're hoping to peak at the right time," Caldow said.
She will be without shooter Rachel Dunn, who injured her knee in Jamaica, but should lose little in bringing Tamsin Greenway back into the squad.
The defence, led by Sonia Mkoloma and Geva Mentor, have gone from strength to strength, and Caldow has been especially pleased with England's improvement in the midcourt, with Karen Atkinson, Jade Clarke and Jo Binns gelling well.
Caldow has also welcomed a step up in consistency from shooters Louisa Brownfield and Pamela Cookey.
"Our shooters are up there with the best in shooting percentages under pressure - they're in the 80s and close to 90s, which is where they need to be at international level," Caldow said.
The key for England now, she believed, was the strength they have as team playing with with confidence and belief.
"Having that win against New Zealand certainly did a tremendous amount for our self-confidence and self-belief. You talk about it, but actually getting out and doing it, beating one of the top teams in the world, is easier said than done."
But that doesn't mean England will be resting on their laurels going into the world championship, Caldow emphasised.
"We have the greatest respect for the New Zealand team - they're world champions, Commonwealth Games champions.
"They've been at the top of the tree for a long long time, along with Australia, so of course you have enormous respect for them.
"But moving into the world championship, we couldn't have had a better script."
- NZPA
