Sunshine Girls to face tough New Zealand in September

President of Netball Jamaica Tricia Robinson says the Sunshine Girls’ upcoming three-Test series against netball powerhouses New Zealand will provide a massive test for the team ahead of next year’s Netball World Cup (NWC) tournament in South Africa.

Both teams will be battling for the legendary Taini Jamison Trophy from September 17-21. The first match in the series will be at the Globox Arena in Hamilton while the second will be played at the same venue a day later. The final match in the series will be played at the Eventfinda Stadium in Auckland on September 21.

“It is very important for the Sunshine Girls to play the teams ranked higher than us in the world,” said Robinson. “It is going to be good practice for them leading up to next year’s World Championships, because they will benefit a lot from these matches and we are certainly looking forward to this series,” she added.

When both teams last met in 2020 the New Zealanders defeated the Sunshine Girls to win the Vitality Netball Nations Cup in England.

However, the Sunshine Girls made history when they defeated the New Zealanders in the Cadbury Netball Series in New Zealand. Jamaica were the first country to beat the Silver Ferns for the trophy since its inception in 2008.

The Sunshine Girls finished a disappointing fifth at the last NWC in Liverpool, England in 2019 and, according to Robinson, her association will be pulling out all the stops to ensure that they secure a podium finish next year.

Meanwhile, Connie Francis, head coach of the Sunshine Girls, said the series is a huge opportunity for the Jamaicans to test their skills against the Silver Ferns, who are currently ranked at number two in the world.

“The last time we played in the series, we won every match. Fiji and Malawi were also there. We will be working very hard to repeat that victory in September,” said Francis.

“It is all about continuous preparation and we still have work to do in all areas of the court before next year’s World Championships,” she said.

“This series will allow us to test different combinations of players to correct any deficiencies in our tactical strategy before our overseas players return to their professional leagues early next year,” she said.

The Sunshine Girls are scheduled to leave the island on July 21 for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.