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 the Oceanic region, which saw Samoa and Fiji both make it through to the World Cup. The two sides were among the first to qualify, given the Oceanic region qualifiers took place in April last year – three months after the Europe region, but prior to the remaining three regions.

A relatively simple region, five teams battled it out in a Round Robin settling across five rounds, with one team having a bye each round. Fiji and Samoa competed against Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea and Tonga in what was a relatively tight qualification process compared to others. Aside from Tonga’s disappointing 36-point defeat to Cook Islands in the dead rubber, even they were competitive against the top sides despite not coming away with a win. Fiji were the most dominant side coming into the final day, but Samoa got the job done to finish on top courtesy of a 54-43 victory to upset the higher ranked nation. Neither side is expected to make a splash at the Netball World Cup, but both have incredibly knowledgeable coaches who will have their respective teams fit and firing.

Results:

1st Samoa (4-0, +42)
2nd Fiji (3-1, +39)
3rd Cook Islands (2-2, +17)
4th Papua New Guinea (2-2, -27)
5th Tonga (0-4, -71)

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World Cup previews:

Samoa

Coach: Frances Solia
World Ranking: 15
Best Result: 6th
Predicted: 14th

Samoa should head to Liverpool proud of making the final 16, but have a tough road ahead with a strong Group D that will see them struggle to move through to Preliminary Stage Two. They are the only side that has to face three top 10 teams in the opening stage, with England, Uganda and Scotland all expected to advance further down the track. The Roses in particular will be simply too good for most sides – perhaps all in the end – whilst Samoa has the best chance against a Uganda side if they can restrict the abilities of Sunshine Coast Lightning star, Peace Proscovia. There are two factors that might make it possible for Samoa to cause an upset, which are the culture, and the coach. Frances Solia is a former netballer who was a member of the successful Samoan World Cup side that reached sixth and now she takes the reigns as the leader in a group of players who are passionate about the sport and competing at the highest level. Two of Samoa’s key players are up the defensive end with the experienced Rachel Rasmusson and Geraldine (Gene) Solia-Gibb able to fill out the key defensive roles against the likes of Jo Harten and Helen Housby. Rasmusson has ANZ Premiership experience, while co-captain Solia-Gibb will show leadership on and off the court. Up the other end, Auteletoa (Toa) Tanimo is a rock in the goal circle, able to hold her ground and will be aided by young star, Tahnyshavaughn Salanoa who has been playing for City West Falcons in the Victorian Netball League (VNL) against some quality past and present Australian stars. Finally, other co-captain Brooke Williams will use her knowledge from being involved in netball in both New Zealand and Australia – where she currently resides – to ensure the feeds through to Tanimo and Salanoa are on point and accurate to give Samoa the best chance of an upset victory.

World Cup previews:

Fiji

Coach: Vicki Wilson
World Ranking: 12
Best Result: 6th
Predicted: 15th

Like Samoa, Fiji are in a similar boat in the sense that they will be up against it in terms of their group with matches against South Africa, Jamica and Trinidad and Tobago in the Preliminary Stage. It is a tough draw for coach Vicki Wilson OAM who is an Australian netballing icon, having represented Australia for 15 years and earned 104 caps having also played for the Queensland Firebirds, a side she went onto coach for four seasons. Wilson was a member of Australia’s triumphant World Cup winning sides in 1991, 1995 and 1999, so she knows exactly what it takes to win in England. She leads the Oceanic nation having prepared them perfectly with lead-up practice games in Australia after finishing second in the region qualification. Fiji’s attacking end is quite strong for a less renowned nation, with key players across the goal circle and wing attack. Matila Vocea is a young up-and-coming star who keeps getting better and is one who can play in either goaler role. A late bloomer, Vocea is just 19-years-old and stands at 180cm. She is yet to play an international game, but is one of five teenagers in Pearls’ squad and could be the Pearl in the rough for Wilson. The coach has a distant connection to Vocea, having played against her Vocea’s mother – Vasiti Setuata – at the 1991 World Cup. Fellow teenage goalshooter Lydia Panapasa has only earned three caps herself, but at 192cm, she is likely to cause more than a few headaches for opposition defenders. In wing attack and across the whole midcourt is Asilika Sevutia, who is incredibly nimble and has laser passes, with the 30-year-old having good vision to fire into the goal circle to give her young teammates best chance of putting ball to post. As vice-captain and one of only two players above the age of 26, she will be looking to assist captain Unaisi Rauluni who will be the main feature in the Pearls’ goal circle. While it is tough to see them progressing too far, an upset win over Trinidad and Tobago is the Pearls’ best chance of moving through to the next stage, where they will likely face Scotland and Uganda, and of course the host nation, England.