Netball: Only 12 can go on Willering's tour

By Suzanne McFadden

At least one of the Silver Ferns who trounced South Africa over the past week will not make it to the world netball championships in September.

When New Zealand coach Yvonne Willering names her 12 today for the world championships, she is certain to add another shooter at the expense of a midcourter or defender from the whitewash series.

Teresa Tairi and Noeline Taurua have come back into contention, both having recovered from knee injuries suffered before the South Africans arrived.

Tairi, who sustained cartilage damage when she stepped awkwardly off a bus, is the most obvious choice to bring the shooting staff up to four. She has taken her recovery cautiously, but is back running.

Willering will have to decide whether Taurua, who tore a ligament during the Star Series last month, is a better option than new cap Adine Harper.

She checked the players' fitness with their doctors and physiotherapists yesterday.

The real dilemma for Willering, however, would be who to leave out. She went heavy on the circle defence for this series, returning Lorna Suafoa to the team to make four.

If she chose to stick with that blend, one of the five midcourters would be a casualty. Jenny-May Coffin has the least experience of the pack.

Originally Willering was going to wait a fortnight until she named the team. But the Silver Ferns will make a "Magical Mystery Tour" of the North Island, mixing public appearances and training, at the start of July.

There is still some work to be done on certain combinations within the team, highlighted by New Zealand's off-colour effort in Tuesday night's final-test 18-goal win over the Proteas.

The Ferns initially struggled to come to grips with a more physical, determined South African side and were ahead by just five at halftime.

Said Willering: "If we had given this performance in our first game, would you be worried? I would. But I'm definitely not now.

"We needed all types of games in the lead up to the world champs. We're going to come up against physical play there."

New Zealand captain Belinda Colling was ruffled by the "face-guard style" of the Proteas. At one stage she slid almost the width of the court on her backside.

"The nature of the game got out of hand. It's a way to slow down our pace when you're constantly topped and hit," she said.

"I think the umpires could control it more. But we still have to adapt, to help our mates."

The South Africans left for Australia yesterday a happier team and with coach Louise du Plessis predicting they would make the semifinals of the world championships when they returned to Christchurch.

"But I think New Zealand are the favourites to win. They have learned to win, to get out of this tradition of losing the final," she said. "They are on another elitist level than what we have known before."

South Africa will play a one-off test against Australia in Sydney tomorrow night. Willering will be a spectator at the match.