KEY POINTS:
South Africa are banking on their sky-scraping shooter, Sindi Gumede, being fit to play in the world netball championships after the Proteas' turbulent journey to Auckland.
Gumede's injury is just one in a series of blows to the former world No 2 side who have struggled with their form this year.
One of the tallest shooters in the game at 1.92m and one of South Africa's most experienced players, Gumede underwent knee surgery and has been off-court for six months.
But Proteas coach Burta de Kock was determined Gumede - the most prolific shooter at the 2002 Commonwealth Games - would be ready to play again by November 11 when South Africa play their opening game against Malaysia.
"I know she's been out of the game and will be ring-rusty, but we need her for her shooting ability, for her height, but most of all for her experience. She is the only member of the team who has played in a World Cup, so we really need her," de Kock said when the team for Auckland was named last month.
It's been a rocky year for the Proteas, ranked fifth at these world championships, but showing little of the form which saw them ranked second in the world in 1995.
Earlier in the year, they drew a test series with African rivals Malawi - with a draw, a win and a loss - and were disheartened by a patchy 2-1 series win over the unranked Ugandan side last month.
The Uganda "She Cranes" won the final test 34-30 over a disorganised South African line-up, missing Gumede under the post.
One bright light for the Proteas is the return of captain and centre Bronwyn Bock-Jonathan, who has been sidelined for four years after major knee reconstruction.
The South Africans arrive in Auckland next Thursday for a series of warm-up games, including one against the New Zealand under-21 side.
Fiji's top netballers are still holding their breath over team selection.
Fijian coach and former Silver Fern, Vilimaina Davu, has employed the longest selection process and will finally name her team in Australia tomorrow.
Fifteen Fijian players have been in an intense training programme for the past month, including training in the sand dunes of Kulukulu and a week's camp in Sydney.
Davu has already lost the services of shooter Alanieta Mailulu - who at the age of 17 was ranked the third best shooter in the world at the 1999 world championships.
Mailulu, who plays in England's Superleague, was called home to Fiji for their South Pacific Games victory in August, but has withdrawn from the side because of commitments to her job - with the Royal Air Force medical team Aeromed in York.
The Fijians, ranked eighth, and scheduled to be in Auckland three days before the November 10 opening, will be one of the last teams to arrive.
