Memories from Africa will endure for Youth World Cup champion

Abby Erwood hard at work on her family's farm at Waitahuna West in South Otago. Photo: Supplied

From glory on the world stage to her family farm in South Otago, Abby Erwood has not slowed down since the end of the ANZ Premiership. Jeff Cheshire caught up with the Southern Steel defender yesterday.

Abby Erwood has done it all in the past month

ANZ Premiership champion, Youth World Cup champion three weeks later, and now back to working on the family farm at Waitahuna West in South Otago.

She has only been back in the country for a week, yet with the warm, dry climate of Botswana having barely faded to memory, Erwood is getting among the mud, the rain and the cold.

''It's definitely a lot different from playing netball,'' the 20-year-old said.

''Definitely a lot more physical in some aspects, but, yeah, definitely good to be back out on the farm and doing what I love.''

It is a stark contrast from what she was doing just over a week ago, when she claimed the most valuable memento from her trip away: the gold medal she won as part of the New Zealand under-21 team that beat Australia 60-57 in the final of the Youth World Cup.

It was an experience she called unreal, claiming her second major title in less than a month.

''That final game, standing up on that podium and having the confetti rain down on you, knowing that you were world champions in your age-group - it was pretty surreal.''
She said the win had a different feel than that of the Steel's.

''I thoroughly enjoyed the ANZ season and winning the premiership with the Steel, and then going away with the NZ under-21s and winning the championship, they both had a different feel to them.

''But they were both unbelievable to be a part of and something you'll remember forever.''
Garborone, the host city of the tournament, is not an easy place to get to and Erwood said the trip was relatively long and tough.

However, she enjoyed what she saw of the country.

''I've never really been anywhere other than New Zealand or Australia, so to experience another country and culture like that, it was pretty surreal.

''It was a good temperature - didn't see much green grass over there, that's for sure.
''We got a small chance to go and see some local markets, which was pretty interesting in the way they live over there.

''We did get to go on a wee safari and see some wild animals, so that was pretty cool.''

The team had begun its tournament with some easier games, cruising to some big scores, including a 125-15 win over Sri Lanka.

It was similarly dominant in a 69-32 win over South Africa in the quarterfinal, before beating Fiji 79-28 to book a spot in the final.

Erwood said it had been good to have those games to build into the tournament, as the team had not had many games together for a long time.

Representing New Zealand had been great and had helped her get better, although it was really just a step towards her ultimate goal.

''It's a small stepping stone in the bigger picture of where I want to aim to get to.

''But it's going to be there forever and something I'll remember and the group of girls I went away with will be a group I'll remember forever.''

For now though, she was focused on life on the farm, looking to make as much money as she could.

She would fit training around that, as she eyed up next season, although was yet to confirm where she would be playing.