Netball: Singapore final brings all sorts

More than 1200 NZ fans have travelled. Photo / Getty Images

A travelling army of Antipodeans have descended on Singapore, injecting much colour, life and song into the netball world championships.

Among the tales are the West Coast Kiwis who ended up on an Australian tour group; the Auckland octogenarian who has watched every minute of every match; the Australian husbands in hot water for missing live matches in favour of televised league - and the Kiwi fan using the tournament as an extended dating opportunity.

Annette Lawn hails from Hari Hari, a small town north of Franz Josef Glacier. Along with her 18-year-old daughter Maria, she is on an Australian tour party, travelling with around 500 Diamonds supporters.

"We asked around town but no one wanted to come with us," admits Lawn.

She is considering having the two respective flags painted on her face for the final today, but says daughter Maria will kill her.

Meanwhile, 85-year-old Christchurch resident Nola Speake has been a diehard fan, taking in every moment in the stadium each day from the start of play until the final whistle. Speake, who is travelling in an escorted party with Yvonne Willering as leader, has loved watching the minnows play and admits to enjoying the chance to sleep without fear of tremors.

Marj and Gordon Keelty are fanatics from Wanganui, whose highlight so far was attending the Ferns' open training session. Marj is a former netball coach of Joline Henry at Wanganui Collegiate. Among the Aussies, code clashes have caused some friction with a few couples.

A group of Australian husbands sneaked out of the stadium on Wednesday to watch the State of Origin at a nearby sports bar, played at the same time as the Diamonds' final group match.

The trio were entertaining thoughts of doing the same thing for the Super Rugby final though one wife said they would be "even dumber than they look" if they pulled the same stunt again.

A middle-aged chap, admitting he was single and who preferred not to be named, was a "new" netball fan who said it was a chance to do something different but also maybe an opportunity to meet someone.

The odds are certainly in his favour, with around 20 female supporters in Singapore for every male. More than 1200 New Zealand fans have travelled for today's final.