This week in netball: International matches and Comm Games announcement
IT has been a huge week both on and off the netball court to finish off the month of October, with plenty of announcements and intriguing news and results popping up across the globe.
At home in Australia, the 2022 Suncorp Super Netball season has been given an official start date, with the stage set for Saturday, March 26. Starting earlier due to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in July-August, Netball Australia has confirmed the competition will maintain its 60-game season and be won and done with enough time to prepare for the Games.
Speaking of the Commonwealth Games, the first six nations competing in the netball have been confirmed, with hosts, England a guaranteed entry, and additional top five nations – Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, South Africa and Malawi – lined up. The remaining six nations in the finalised draw will be confirmed come February 1, 2022, with the deadline for rankings extended due to lack of test opportunity with travel restrictions around the world.
International netball has been the talk of the week, with South Africa completing its unofficial tour of the United Kingdom and earning a clean sweep of wins in the process. Two comprehensive test wins against the Republic of Ireland last week were backed up by additional test victories against Scotland and Wales over the weekend, as well as a vital six-quarter practice match against Northern Ireland. Along with last week’s Margaret Beckford Sunshine Series between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, international talents were the focus this week with excellent exposure of the six international teams ahead of next year’s Commonwealth Games.
Remaining on the topic of international netball, the newly rebranded Rookie Me Central focused this week on the international talent that has signed with franchises in the UK’s Vitality Netball Superleague for 2022, delving into the incoming names and fan favourites across all 11 teams.
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Suncorp Super Netball
2022 Suncorp Super Netball start date announced
Player profiles: Eboni Usoro-Brown | Sophie Garbin | Rudi Ellis | Kadie-Ann Dehaney | Tara Hinchliffe
International
First six qualifying teams announced for Birmingham 2022
International netball update: South Africa sweeps UK nations // International test standouts: October
International talent flourishing in Vitality Netball Superleague
Centre Pass Podcast
ALL EPISODES: iTunes // Spotify // Anchor
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Picture credit: Declan Roughan
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