Silver Ferns' Vitality Netball World Cup 2019 squad announced
Laura Langman to captain New Zealand at her fourth World Cup
Thursday 23 May 2019 14:48, UK
Noeline Taurua has named her 12-player squad for this summer's Vitality Netball World Cup and it features the return of defenders Katrina Rore and Phoenix Karaka, mid-courter Shannon Saunders and shooter Bailey Mes.
The outfit will be lead on court by Laura Langman who is one of three players returning for a fourth Netball World Cup tournament, the others are prolific shooter Maria Folau and former captain Casey Kopua.
Alongside those players with significant tournament experience, Taurua's squad also contains five Netball World Cup debutantes - Karin Burger, Gina Crampton, Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Jane Watson.
"I look for players who can do the job in the first instance, connections and playing combinations, and then personal qualities," head coach Taurua said, who played in the 1995 World Cup herself.
"The players who have been recalled to wear the Silver Fern again demonstrates to me passion for our game, fight, fortitude, tenacity and work ethic. The Silver Ferns needs to be a team that can emulate those same qualities.
"We feel we have a good mix of athletes who provide versatility, experience, leadership, drive and hunger to compete against the best in the game.
"They are all fit and that's a good start. We can finally commence our work and build the team leading into World Cup. It's been a long time coming."
In preparation for the tournament, the Silver Ferns will play a world-first International Netball Series.
Taurua's side will face-off against the New Zealand Invitation Men's Netball team, the Fiji Pearls and an All-Stars side at Pulman Arena in Papakura from June 26 to 29.
It will be a quadrangular-style tournament with a round-robin format and will conclude with a Finals Day on Saturday, June 29.
In Liverpool, the Silver Ferns will commence their campaign on the opening day of the competition against Malawi followed by a meeting with Barbados and then Singapore in the opening stage of the World Cup.
Watch every match of the Vitality Netball World Cup 2019, live on Sky Sports. Coverage starts on Friday, July 12 plus keep up to date with all of the latest competition news, results and enjoy in-depth features at SkySports.com/netball
