Netball: Silver Ferns ready themselves for World Cup

The Silver Ferns are getting ready for the World Cup which starts on Friday. Photo / Getty

It is all starting to feel real now for the Silver Ferns.

The New Zealand side this morning had their first and only walk through of Sydney's Allphones Arena - the venue for this month's World Cup - ahead of the tournament opening on Friday. For the team it was a chance to familiarise themselves with the facilities and do a run-through of their match day routine.

But for New Zealand skipper Casey Kopua, it was also a chance to make peace. It was the first time the star defender had set foot on the court she was stretchered from nearly 10 months ago, after rupturing her patella tendon during the Ferns' disastrous Constellation Cup campaign last year.

There was no special ceremony or pause for thought on the spot where she suffered the horrific injury whilst trying to cut off a pass into the Australian shooting circle. But Kopua said she made a point of warming up on the same area so she could feel at ease with the place again.

"I did all my agility work and drills on the same area of court and just sort of got through my work and left it there," said Kopua.

"Initially, just being there brought back a whole heap of memories, like walking in I was like, 'oh that's where they wheeled me out of here last time'. But now it's sort done with so I can look ahead."

Ferns midcourter Grace Rasmussen said seeing the court all dressed up with the World Cup signage made it hit home that the tournament is now just days away.

"Just warming up I had sort of tingles up the spine thinking of what it is going to be like in there when the stadium is packed out and how noisy it will be.

After this morning's light training run, the Ferns will play the first of two warm-up matches against the Australian under-21 team.