Professional netball players try out Sevens

Robinson, a commentator and presenter on Sky Sports in New Zealand, voiced the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens and IRB Women’s Sevens World Series, and will contribute regular posts this season for Scrumqueens.com on the women’s game in New Zealand and beyond.

While the top group of New Zealand women’s sevens squad members were with the team preparing for Dubai, in Timaru a group of talented individuals put their best foot forward for national recognition. Five top netballers – three of them fulltime ANZ Championship professionals – were on show at the South Island regional sevens tournament in the weekend – kicking off the qualifications for the Bayley’s Nationals in Rotorua early January.

Five women’s teams competed for the three places at nationals – one up from last year - in the end there was a big turnaround in the final where Canterbury, after being thrashed by Otago 38-5, changed their game plan and won it 29-7.

In the round robin game Canterbury’s coach Ernie Goodhue rested New Zealand sevens and Black Ferns rep Kendra Cocksedge, he also left out some of his power players in Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic netball player Bessie Manu and Black Ferns squad member Tara Horsnell. Meanwhile Otago went full strength with Lucy Anderson having a blinder scoring three tries. Anderson, a Black Fern training squad member for the 2014 Rugby World Cup in Paris, is the daughter of a three time All Black trialist from the 70s – Bill Anderson. Also on show was New Zealand sevens squad member Hallie Hurring at sweep.

However in the final, Cocksedge was back and she produced a stunning display on defence in particular to pull in a number of linebreaks as last line of defence. But perhaps even more impactful was Horsnell whose size and footwork absolutely bamboozeled the defence. Goodhue’s tactic of keeping his “bigger” girls fresh produced a stunning display of power sevens that “mowed over” the opposition.

Canterbury had three professional netballers trying out sevens for the first time too, in Manu – who has played schoolgirl rugby as a number eight, six-foot-one Ellen Halpenny who also plays for the Magic and the Mystic’s Keisha Grant. Grant was absolutely outstanding as a playmaker, perhaps not surprising considering she’s played touch rugby for New Zealand and has plenty of explosion after being the national javelin champion for three years running. Injury ruled her out of the last Commonwealth Games which is why she went back to netball. If she decides to stick with sevens, contracted players like Tyla Nathan-Wong and Selica Winiata will be looking over their shoulders.

Southland are the third team to make it through to nationals with their star being the 17 year old Courtney O’Callaghan who is also a New Zealand touch rep. The young team also had a top netball prospect in Grace Earland.

Tasman’s key player was Jesse Drummond (another national touch rep and netballer) who is in the Canterbury Tactix Training squad. She was superbly fit and was huge on defence. It is her first year playing the game.

The tournament showed that there are plenty of playmakers around in the New Zealand women’s game, but still a lack of big power players which New Zealand Sean Horan is keen to discover. Bessie Manu showed plenty of promise for that position but with the new athletes from other sports trying the game, it’s the instinctive play at the breakdown which is causing some issues and on some occasions a lack of width in their pass.

Next up is the Central qualifiers on December 7th. There are a total of 12 women’s teams competing at the New Zealand champs in January alongside the men’s – twice the number of teams from 2012.