5:00AM Saturday November 17, 2007
By Suzanne McFadden
Silver Ferns goal-shooting star Irene van Dyk fends off a determined bid for the ball from Jamaican Althea Byfield during last night's aggressive semifinal. Photo / Kenny Rodger
Netball World Championships
Netball: Relieved South Africa overcome Samoa
Netball: Ice queen cracks a smile as she awaits final countdown
Bruised and battered, the Silver Ferns will be charged with adrenalin for their biggest game in four years tonight - the defence of their world netball title.
Their gripping semifinal fight-back win over Jamaica last night took its toll, but Ferns coach Ruth Aitken insisted they are prepared for the physical battle that is always on the cards with arch rivals Australia, their confident opponent in tonight's final.
"That's what these championships are all about. So whether they are sore or not the adrenalin will certainly kick in. The recovery will be first class, but there's no doubt it takes a toll on the body. But we've just got to get on with it."
New Zealand have never won a world netball championship at home; neither have they ever notched up back-to-back title victories.
Their opponents Australia are perennial foes. They have a formidable record in world championship history - eight time winners, three times runners-up.
Since the first tournament in 1963, when Australia beat New Zealand by one goal, the two teams have been rarely separated by more than two goals at a world tournament.
AdvertisementSince the last World Championships in Jamaica in 2003, where the Silver Ferns beat Australia in the final 49-47, the neighbours have met another 18 times. The record stands at 10 victories to the Silver Ferns, eight to Australia.
While Australia have had the upper hand in recent times, they are still smarting from losing both their world and Commonwealth crowns to New Zealand.
The encounter beneath the hoop between Australian captain Liz Ellis and the Silver Ferns' super shooter Irene van Dyk - once again the most accurate shooter in the world - will be a highlight.
For two of the most experienced players in global netball - both in their fourth world championships - this may be their swansong.
Ellis predicts the more consistent side will win tonight.
"You can't let yourself go down at any quarter, you can't let yourself feel the tired legs, you can't let yourself drop at any stage. It's just going to be really consistent, simple netball."
Van Dyk was buoyed by last night's fightback: "At the beginning of the year Australia got ahead of us by 10 points and we couldn't fight back. Now we've crossed that barrier and we've realised there's more in the tank."
'Is your heart pounding like mine?'
A 19-year-old giant almost brought the Silver Ferns crashing down in one fell swoop of her dangling arms last night.
For three quarters of the world championship semifinal, Jamaica seemed poised to crush New Zealand's dreams of back-to-back world titles, using their 1.96m tall shooting sensation Romelda Aiken as their weapon.
Saturday 17 November 2007
Monday 12 November 2007
Schoolboys' grundy run banned
NZPA | Monday, 12 November 2007
Cold water has been poured on the country's only sponsored high school grundy run.
Year 13 students at the town's Marlborough College traditionally storm the field of their female counterparts clad only in their underwear for an annual grundy run.
But the principals of both colleges have this year banned the event.
"It has not been an event that we have condoned for many years," Marlborough Girls' College principal Karen Stewart told the Marlborough Express.
"Both colleges met and discussed it and we decided that it could cause possible damage to property, among other things."
The "other things" included dangerous driving and obscene behaviour.
"At this time of the year we should be getting them ready for exams."
Boys' college principal John Rodgers confirmed he had asked the boys to refrain from taking part.
"The simple reality is that it's not possible to organise an event like that without destructive behaviour being a part of it.
"We have made a simple request to them, and they have been told they are not to be absent from school."
But several students told the newspaper they planned to press ahead and had even secured sponsorship from underwear brand Jockey; each boy would be sent a pair of underpants.
"They were the only school in New Zealand to approach us, and that was one of the reasons we couldn't refuse," Jockey Men's New Zealand product manager Amanda Carmichael said.
Cold water has been poured on the country's only sponsored high school grundy run.
Year 13 students at the town's Marlborough College traditionally storm the field of their female counterparts clad only in their underwear for an annual grundy run.
But the principals of both colleges have this year banned the event.
"It has not been an event that we have condoned for many years," Marlborough Girls' College principal Karen Stewart told the Marlborough Express.
"Both colleges met and discussed it and we decided that it could cause possible damage to property, among other things."
The "other things" included dangerous driving and obscene behaviour.
"At this time of the year we should be getting them ready for exams."
Boys' college principal John Rodgers confirmed he had asked the boys to refrain from taking part.
"The simple reality is that it's not possible to organise an event like that without destructive behaviour being a part of it.
"We have made a simple request to them, and they have been told they are not to be absent from school."
But several students told the newspaper they planned to press ahead and had even secured sponsorship from underwear brand Jockey; each boy would be sent a pair of underpants.
"They were the only school in New Zealand to approach us, and that was one of the reasons we couldn't refuse," Jockey Men's New Zealand product manager Amanda Carmichael said.
Netball: Silver Ferns steamroll Wales
5:42PM Monday November 12, 2007
By Cathy Walshe
Silver Ferns 86 Wales 24
New Zealand netball coach Ruth Aitken made full use of her bench as the Silver Ferns steamrollered a hapless Wales 86-24 at the world netball championship here today.
After a blitzkreig start, the Silver Ferns worked a myriad of different combinations intelligently, and ground Wales into submission in yet another one-sided pool match.
New Zealand opened at a ferocious pace, playing focused, full-throttle netball, an 11-goal scoring spree going unanswered by a shell-shocked Wales.
New Zealand shooters Irene van Dyk and Jodi Te Huna found space in spades, both in and out of the circle, and with the midcourt running riot, revelled in a flood of possession.
Wing defence Julie Seymour was at her destructive best, hunting the ball and menacing Welsh wing attack Amanda Evans as she tried in tandem with centre Anna Mayes to find ways to work the ball into shooters Rebecca James and Cara-Lea Moseley.
Wales had only 10 shots on goal in the entire spell, sinking just five as the Silver Ferns look composed in converting 25 of their 27 attempts to lead 25-5 at the end of the first quarter.
The Welsh recovered somewhat in the second quarter to double their scoring rate and trail 15-47 at halftime, the fired-up Siver Ferns continued to find space freely thanks to some concentrated through-court defence.
Aitken used her bench freely, making wholesale changes at halftime.
Maree Bowden took over from Laura Langman at centre, while Joline Henry came on for Seymour and Leana de Bruin took over the goal defence bib from Sheryl Scanlan.
Maria Tutaia also came on at the break as Van Dyk was again rested by Aitken, finishing with a 91 per cent success rate in sinking 39 from 41 attempts.
The onslaught slackened slightly in the third quarter, with the Silver Ferns taking time to settle the changes and the midcourt looking a little more tentative.
But with Casey Williams in outstanding form at goal keep, there was always a steady supply of possession for Tutaia and Te Huna to convert and New Zealand led 65-20 with 15 minutes remaining.
Aitken tweaked her attack again at the three-quarter mark, moving Bowden to wing attack and bringing Seymour on at centre. Paula Griffin came on for Tutaia at goal attack, and Te Huna moved back to goal shoot, and the Silver Ferns machine rolled on to an inevitable victory.
- NZPA
By Cathy Walshe
Silver Ferns 86 Wales 24
New Zealand netball coach Ruth Aitken made full use of her bench as the Silver Ferns steamrollered a hapless Wales 86-24 at the world netball championship here today.
After a blitzkreig start, the Silver Ferns worked a myriad of different combinations intelligently, and ground Wales into submission in yet another one-sided pool match.
New Zealand opened at a ferocious pace, playing focused, full-throttle netball, an 11-goal scoring spree going unanswered by a shell-shocked Wales.
New Zealand shooters Irene van Dyk and Jodi Te Huna found space in spades, both in and out of the circle, and with the midcourt running riot, revelled in a flood of possession.
Wing defence Julie Seymour was at her destructive best, hunting the ball and menacing Welsh wing attack Amanda Evans as she tried in tandem with centre Anna Mayes to find ways to work the ball into shooters Rebecca James and Cara-Lea Moseley.
Wales had only 10 shots on goal in the entire spell, sinking just five as the Silver Ferns look composed in converting 25 of their 27 attempts to lead 25-5 at the end of the first quarter.
The Welsh recovered somewhat in the second quarter to double their scoring rate and trail 15-47 at halftime, the fired-up Siver Ferns continued to find space freely thanks to some concentrated through-court defence.
Aitken used her bench freely, making wholesale changes at halftime.
Maree Bowden took over from Laura Langman at centre, while Joline Henry came on for Seymour and Leana de Bruin took over the goal defence bib from Sheryl Scanlan.
Maria Tutaia also came on at the break as Van Dyk was again rested by Aitken, finishing with a 91 per cent success rate in sinking 39 from 41 attempts.
The onslaught slackened slightly in the third quarter, with the Silver Ferns taking time to settle the changes and the midcourt looking a little more tentative.
But with Casey Williams in outstanding form at goal keep, there was always a steady supply of possession for Tutaia and Te Huna to convert and New Zealand led 65-20 with 15 minutes remaining.
Aitken tweaked her attack again at the three-quarter mark, moving Bowden to wing attack and bringing Seymour on at centre. Paula Griffin came on for Tutaia at goal attack, and Te Huna moved back to goal shoot, and the Silver Ferns machine rolled on to an inevitable victory.
- NZPA
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