Netball: England’s netballers step up their game

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England’s netballers plan to step-up their preparations for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games this week. A 16-strong England squad will take part in a seven-game 14-day tour in Australia. They will play some of the top teams in the world’s top netball club competition, the Trans-Tasman ANZ Championship.

England will play two friendlies against both the Sydney Swifts and the Adelaide Thunderbirds, who are currently first and second in the championship respectively. All of the seven friendly games will be played behind closed doors and will feature six quarters rather than the usual four.

“The idea was to try to reproduce the Commonwealth Games experience and to see how some of the players handle the pressure of touring,” said England head coach Sue Hawkins. “We’ve now had the draw for the Delhi Games and that will be a little bit lighter, so the tour should be more stressful for the players.

“If they can handle the tour they’ll be able to handle the Commonwealth Games scenario,” she said. “We’ll also be doing all sorts of ‘what ifs’ all the way throughout the tour.”

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A final 12-strong England squad for Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games will be announced in August. England are drawn in pool B at the Commonwealth Games along with defending champions New Zealand and world number six side South Africa..

“I can’t wait for the Commonwealth Games,” said Hawkins. “I’m happy to be in the same group as New Zealand. It will be a tough one, but it should be good. We can’t afford to under-estimate anyone.”
England have won two medals to date at the last three Commonwealth Games: a bronze at Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and another bronze in Melbourne four years ago. Australia and New Zealand are the only two teams to have won netball gold at the Commonwealth Games.

Chloe Hibbert, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine

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