Netball: Fans hit for negative attitude

By RICHARD BOOCK

From the files of the strange and unexpected: Yvonne Willering has suggested netball fans should pay less attention to the scoreboard when the Silver Ferns play their second international against Team Pasifika tonight.

Astonished at the lukewarm reaction to her team's 42-goal win on Tuesday night, the New Zealand coach apparently believes too much importance is being placed on the score and not enough on the individual and collective skills on display.

"I don't know why people are so negative," she said yesterday, as the squad arrived in Palmerston North to prepare for the second match of the Fisher and Paykel series.

"Everyone focused on the scoreline [77-35] but there was a lot of talent in both teams and some great netball on the night. I wish people would concentrate more on that and less on the scoreboard."

For all that, any uncertainty over the result was effectively removed after the first 15 minutes on Tuesday night, leaving unresolved the question of whether the New Zealand side had made significant strides since the Newcastle test.

While the mid-court and attack-end were mostly on top, they were faced by a Pasifika defence which lacked cohesion and hustle, and relied more on individuals than team-work or strategy.

However, Willering said she was pleased with the improvement and anxious to build on that result this evening, before Saturday's first test against the World Seven.

"The focus is very much on ourselves right now, and in that regard we're after an even stronger performance in the second match. We need to keep going forward, because the world selection looks a very strong side and we have to be prepared.

"In a way, this sort of progressive build-up is exactly what we were missing before we took on Australia last week, so there's no doubt that we should be in better shape by Saturday."

Of her new attacking lineup, Willering qualified her praise but stressed that the combination was developing by the day and had shown signs of genuine progress in the series opener on Tuesday.

Willering started Temepara George at wing-attack instead of Anna Rowberry, while Irene van Dyk and Adine Harper replaced the unavailable Donna Loffhagen and the injured Belinda Colling.

"While there's a completely new look to that end of the court, things are gradually coming together.

"There were good patches and some nice touches against Pasifika but we have to keep things in perspective, and keep looking to make progress," Willering said.

New Zealand: Bernice Mene (captain), Linda Vagana, Belinda Charteris, Anna Veronese, Lesley Nicol, Julie Seymour, Temepara George, Anna Rowberry, Tania Nicholson, Adine Harper, Irene van Dyk.

Team Pasifika: Vilimaina Davu (captain), Ruta Tai, Lisa Bogiwalu, Amanda Dunlop, Sheryl Clarke (vice-captain), Melissa Fotu, Anna Tai, Jenny-May Coffin, Frances Solia, Irene Forbes, Monica Gabriel, Angela Maoate, Teresa Tairi.