IN the lead-up to the Netball World Cup starting July 12, we are previewing each of the automatic qualifiers individually, and then looking at each region’s qualification path’s to the sport’s highest ranked international tournament. In today’s region preview, we take a look at Europe, which saw Scotland and Northern Ireland both make it through to the World Cup. Given the improving strength of the Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) competition, both sides are expected to be much improved on their 2015 teams, and could well finish in the top seven given injuries to the likes of Malawi and Uganda.

The Europe region World Cup qualifying path is the smallest of the regions to get to the World Cup with just three sides – all under the banner of the United Kingdom (as it stands pre-Brexit) – battling it out for two places. In the end it was Scotland who looked the far superior team, working well with their combinations to book a spot following the 12-goal win over Wales, and then topped the region with a 21-goal win over Northern Ireland. The latter side guaranteed its place prior to the final match of the tournament, having defeated Wales by 15 goals on the first day. It meant both Scotland and Northern Ireland advanced through to the World Cup group as of January last year.

Results:

Northern Ireland 57 defeated Wales 42
Scotland 52 defeated Wales 40
Scotland 52 defeated Northern Ireland 31

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World Cup previews:

Scotland

Coach: Gail Parata
World Ranking: 9
Best Result: 6th
Predicted: 6th

If you are a supporter who loves a good underdog, then Scotland might be the team to follow at this year’s World Cup. They do not have the class or international experience of the English Roses or Australian Diamonds, but they do have some underrated talent on their list that could eventually cross the seas and take part in the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) competition. In the qualification stages last year, the then 18-year-old (now 20) Bethan Goodwin was a revelation at goal shooter and a player who has plenty of development ahead of her. While many of the sides at this World Cup have shooters who are either in the twilight of their careers or peaking, expect to see much more of Goodwin in the coming years with her strength an accuracy to post a highlight of her game. Alongside Goodwin is 17-year-old shooter Emma Barrie, who took the court for the Stratchlyde Sirens – the Scotland-based side in the VNSL, stepping up to the plate this season for a starting role. How she will fare against more aggressive defenders will be the question mark, but given they face the Roses – and potentially a match-up with the world class Geva Mentor, both Goodwin and Barrie will only get better from the experience. At the other end of the experience scale, Claire Maxwell has been named captain of the Thistles, and will notch up triple-figure international caps at the tournament. Scotland faces Samoa, Uganda and of course England in the group, with the Thistles likely to have no troubles against the Oceanic-based side, whilst backing themselves in against a Uganda team if they can limit the impact of the talented Peace Proscovia. England is a different beast altogether, but a top two finish, and ideally a top six finish overall – which can happen with a likely match-up against Malawi before a potential clash with Jamaica or South Africa given the developing side plenty of different opponents. With plenty of the players representing the Strathclyde Sirens, they should have great familiarity with combinations at the World Cup.

Northern Ireland

Coach: Dan Ryan
World Ranking: 8
Best Result: 7th
Predicted: 8th

The Northern Ireland side will have an Australian flavour to it at this year’s World Cup with former Adelaide Thunderbirds’ coach Dan Ryan taking the reins. The team will return to the World Cup having failed to qualify for the 2015 edition, and will hope to finish around the mark of its eighth placed finish in Singapore in 2011. From that 2011 World Cup team, just captain Caroline O’Hanlon, Lisa McCaffrey and Fionnuala Toner remain, meaning plenty of players will test themselves against the world’s best for the first time at the top tournament. Turning 35 next month, O’Hanlon will likely be at her last World Cup and keen to go out with a bang having been a member of the title-winning Manchester Thunder outfit in the VNSL this year. Toner (London Pulse) and Michelle Drayne (Saracens Mavericks) are two of the other players to watch after playing at VNSL level. Toner is a defensive midcourter who can slide into the goal defence position and is vice-captain of the side having turned 29 earlier this year with 75 international caps to her name. Drayne is a versatile midcourter who can fill into any of the three positions, having 58 caps to her name and turning 31 later this year. The experience of the leaders within the team will prove crucial for Northern Ireland going up against the experienced Australian side on the opening day of the tournament. No-one expects them to cause an upset against the Diamonds, but a competitive effort would please coach Ryan. They should knock off Sri Lanka and debutants, Zimbabwe without too much trouble, though they cannot take the Sri Lankans too lightly given their obvious improvement over the past 18 months. Northern Ireland are every chance to join Scotland as one of those sides in the top eight given a favourable half of the draw, with realistically Australia, New Zealand and Malawi the only sides to give them too much grief. If they do finish fourth following the the Preliminary Stage Two matches, they face either Jamaica or South Africa, with a match-up against Malawi again or region counterparts Scotland.