Netball: England Roses star Geva Mentor stranded in NZ after cancelled flight home to Australia

England netballer Geva Mentor. Photo / Photosport

England netball star Geva Mentor has been left praying for a miracle as she faces months stuck in New Zealand amid Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Mentor played a crucial role in the England Roses' historic win of the Taini Jamison Trophy series against the Silver Ferns in Christchurch last week.

The 37-year-old defender is based in Melbourne where she captains the Collingwood Magpies in the country's Super Netball league.

The plan was to depart New Zealand shores on an exempt charter flight back to Australia with the Roses but the England squad will now instead fly home via Singapore.

That decision came after confirmation Covid restrictions had forced the Red Roses Test series in Australia to be cancelled.

Maia Wilson of the Silver Ferns gets the ball from Geva Mentor. Photo / Photosport

With quarantine-free travel between here and Australia suspended, and dramatically fewer flights, Mentor is effectively stranded until a seat becomes available.

"The rest of the girls can of course get on a flight back home to England, but that's no good for me and I'm the only one who is effectively stranded here," Mentor told BBC South.

"I've been in conversation with other sporting governing bodies and seeing if there's any other teams stuck here trying to get back into Australia"

Mentor has since reached out to fans on social media and provided updates on her situation.

She said she was hoping to find someone with a charter flight that could spare her a seat.

"I've also been trying to reach influencers, politicians, entrepreneurs - anyone really who might have a spot on a plane I can bag to make it back," she said.

"I really don't mind which port I get back to in Australia, I just need to get back there and have plenty of time to book into quarantine, prepare for pre-season and then the Commonwealth Games next year."

Her latest Twitter update wasn't the most promising.

"After many a phone call, text message, email and advice from some amazing people, we're not much closer to finding a solution!" she wrote.

After many a phone call, text message, email and advice from some amazing people, we’re not much closer to finding a solution! #StrandedInNZ #AnyChartedFlightsBackToAustralia 🤞🏽 pic.twitter.com/kbIT6ujk0u

— Geva Mentor CBE (@GevaMentor) September 27, 2021