KINGSTON - Jodi Te Huna had a dream start to her international career yesterday.
The 22-year-old shooter won her first cap for the Silver Ferns in their first game of the 11th world championship.
That they trounced Niue 99-11 was the icing on the cake for Te Huna, who was thrilled to be named in the starting line-up.
"To get my first test actually as a starting player was quite exciting," she said. "So I've been preparing all day and it was exactly what I thought it was going to be."
Te Huna netted her first shot before missing the next two. However, she quickly settled and, after that, "it was just like another game."
"It was really good to combine with [goal attack] Belinda [Colling] because she was my match player in the Canterbury Flames, so it was kind of known to me," the former Newlands College (Wellington) captain said.
It was obvious the two had played together before as they put on a slick display, creating space for each other, flicking passes and shooting well.
Both played only the first 30 minutes and attempted 28 shots each, Colling sinking 24 and Te Huna 23, for 86 per cent and 82 per cent respectively.
Te Huna's circle movement gives Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken two options for the goal shoot bib; shooting sensation Irene van Dyk consistently shoots 90 per cent-plus but does not move well. That makes her harder to feed and means Colling has to be far more mobile and, therefore, puts up fewer shots.
The big test for Te Huna will be how she handles top-level international pressure - which should come against England on Wednesday.
Aitken was impressed with Te Huna's debut.
"There were a few flutters, but I thought that her movement was really good and she and Bill [Colling] did some great stuff," she said.
"In the second quarter she started to put up that longer shot, too. She's got a wonderful shot. She just has to back herself."
- NZPA
Netball: Te Huna enjoys a dream debut
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