THE 2022 Constellation Cup kicks off tomorrow night, with Australia and New Zealand once again set to do battle.
The 2022 Series will be the 12th time the two countries have battled for the Cup. Australia has won the series seven times and the Kiwis have won it twice (the 2015 and 2019 series were both drawn series), but crucially for the Silver Ferns they won the 2021 series, so in the event of a drawn series they keep the trophy.
The Australian squad is largely the same one that won gold at the recent Commonwealth Games, with a few additions who just missed out on selection for the Games.
Ruby Bakewell-Doran, Sophie Dwyer, Amy Parmenter, Jamie-Lee Price and Maddy Proud all did not get to take the court in Birmingham but are in line for some game time in this series.
Gretel Bueta was originally set to play this series, but due to pregnancy has subsequently withdrawn from both this series and the next against the Roses.
Paige Hadley and Jo Weston are sitting out this series but will return for the England series, as will Commonwealth Games travelling reserve Donnell Wallam.
Ash Brazill is taking a break from netball at the moment to focus on her football.
Meanwhile for the Silver Ferns, it is a slightly expanded squad from the one that beat the Jamaicans in the Taini Jamison Trophy, but this is because some of the squad members are only playing half the series.
Sulu Fitzpatrick, Elisapeta Toeava and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan are only playing the two matches in New Zealand, while Maddy Gordon, Elle Temu and Kimiora Poi are only playing the Australian leg of the series.
Apart from a couple of the above players, there are no other additions to the squad from the Taini Jamison Trophy squad.
2022 Constellation Cup schedule (All start times are AEDT)
Wednesday 12th October – 5:30pm – Auckland
Sunday 16th October – 5:30pm – Tauranga
Wednesday 19th October – 7pm – Melbourne
Sunday 23rd October – 7pm – Gold Coast
SQUADS
AUSTRALIA
Sunday Aryang, Kiera Austin, Ruby Bakewell-Doran, Courtney Bruce, Sophie Dwyer, Sarah Klau, Cara Koenen, Kate Moloney, Amy Parmenter, Jamie-Lee Price, Maddy Proud, Liz Watson, Steph Wood
NEW ZEALAND
Ameliaranne Ekenasio (captain), Sulu Fitzpatrick (NZ leg only), Maddy Gordon (Australian leg only), Kate Heffernan, Kayla Johnson, Kelly Jury, Phoenix Karaka, Grace Nweke, Kimiora Poi (Australian leg only), Mila Reuelu-Buchanan (NZ leg only), Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Whitney Souness, Peta Toeava (NZ leg only), Elle Temu (Australian leg only), Maia Wilson
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