The pinnacle event in world netball is just around the corner, with the Netball World Cup kicking off on Friday night in Cape Town, South Africa, with it all coming down to the Final just nine days later.
It'll be a chance for the Diamonds to rewrite the wrongs four years on from the last World Cup after they fell short to New Zealand by a single point, while the Silver Ferns will be looking to go back-to-back for the first time in the nation's history.
The England Roses are determined to go one better than ever before and claim their first World Cup title, meanwhile there's been an emergence of a new player in the so called 'Big Four' with South Africa slipping out of favour and instead Commonwealth Games silver medalists Jamaica have become a major player as they look to continue their dominance on the international stage and seek their first medal since 2007.
ESPN previews the big four countries ahead of the World Cup.
AUSTRALIAN DIAMONDS
Squad: Sunday Aryang, Kiera Austin, Ash Brazill, Courtney Bruce, Sophie Garbin, Paige Hadley, Sarah Klau, Cara Koenen, Jamie-Lee Price, Liz Watson (C), Jo Weston, Steph Wood (VC). Reserves: Ruby Bakewell Doran, Kate Moloney, Donnell Wallam
Coach: Stacey Marinkovich
Preview: The Diamonds have had a strong campaign over the last 12 months, taking home the Commonwealth Games, Constellation Cup and past two Quad Series, with the World Cup title the final trophy missing from the cabinet at Netball HQ after a heartbreaking defeat to the Silver Ferns in 2019. Four years on, the Diamonds head to Cape Town with a new coach in Stacey Marinkovich and five new faces ready to make their World Cup debuts.
One question mark for the Diamonds going into the tournament will be who steps up in the absence of Gretel Bueta. Although the Diamonds have won the last three series without Bueta, it was the 30-year-olds x-factor that helped the side bring home the Comm Games gold medal last year.
Pressure will be on Sunshine Coast Lightning duo of Steph Wood and Cara Koenen to fill the void as they look to make a statement in the green and gold once again, but if Woods' performances in both Quad Series are anything to go by, the shooting end is in safe hands, with the star GA able to sway momentum back in her team's favour against the Silver Ferns.
Despite the short turnaround between the Super Netball finishing and the start of the Diamonds camp, Australia look well versed to have a strong campaign with the pre-existing combinations from both international and Super Netball level expected to shine through.
Player to watch: Courtney Bruce
Courtney Bruce will have one of the hardest jobs this World Cup, going head-to-head with some of the world's best goal shooters. Fans saw throughout the Super Netball season how strong the battles against Eleanor Cardwell have been, with the match ups a highlight across the Fever and Thunderbirds clashes.
Meanwhile, she'll likely come across another two of the world's best shooters in New Zealand's Grace Nweke and Jamaica's Jhaniele Fowler - the latter of which Bruce knows all too well playing alongside her at the Fever. With Nweke's and Fowler's dominance coming from under the post, it'll be crucial for Bruce to use her ability to come out on the fly and pick the ball from the pocket if the Diamonds are to earn turnover ball.
ENGLAND ROSES
Squad: Imogen Alison, Eleanor Cardwell, Jade Clarke (VC), Funmi Fadoju, Layla Guscoth (C), Helen Housby, Laura Malcolm, Geva Mentor, Natalie Metcalf (C), Chelsea Pitman, Olivia Tchine, Fran Williams. Reserves: Halimat Adio, Amy Carter, Sophie Drakeford-Lewis.
Coach: Jess Thirlby
Preview: After failing to medal at last year's Commonwealth Games, the Roses will be looking to make a statement during the pinnacle event. This year's World Cup could be seen as a changing of the guard in some respects, with Jo Harten announcing her retirement back in April alongside Roses great Geva Mentor who will pull on the red dress for the last time, while Jade Clarke wasn't named in their squad for tour later this year.
It's the chance for young guns like Funmi Fadoju and Olivia Tchine to make their mark on one of the biggest stages in netball, as they make their World Cup debuts as they look to combine with the household names of Elle Cardwell, Layla Gustoch, Helen Housby and Nat Metcalf who will be critical players for the Roses, as they look to make up for their Commonwealth Games disappointment.
With several of their stars plying their trade in Australia's Super Netball, the Roses will take heart out of both Housby and Cardwell's strong performances for their respective teams, as they recently went toe to toe in the Super Netball final. Both were regularly named player of the round and will prove to be a dangerous combination for opposition defenders throughout the tournament.
The Roses will most likely be the first of the big four that the Diamonds will face. If results go the way they're predicted, the two sides will meet on Day 7 during the preliminary rounds.
Player to watch: Funmi Fadoju
While the Roses have plenty of stars in their squad, it's a young gun that will be one to look out for in the tournament . Fadoju is an excitement machine and continued the strong Roses form from the 2022 series against Australia and the Quad series into the Super League with London Pulse. The young defender recorded 19 deflections in the Pulse's semi-final match against Surrey Storm, 12 of which were in the first half alone.
Every time the ball goes down England's defence end, there's a high chance that Fadoju will be involved whether that be a deflection, gain or intercept. Standing at 176cm, what she lacks in height, she makes up for in her aerial ability; if there's a high ball coming into the goal circle, Fudoju is going to make an impact.
Guess who's back again doing her things 🤔@Pulse_Netball GD Funmi Fadoju's elevation is just unreal 😍#NSL2023 | #GetSomeNet pic.twitter.com/f2EuNWhmYw
— Netball Super League (@NetballSL) June 11, 2023
NEW ZEALAND SILVER FERNS
Squad: Karin Burger, Gina Crampton, Ameliaranne Ekenasio (C), Maddy Gordon, Kate Heffernan, Kelly Jury, Phoenix Karaka, Grace Nweke, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Whitney Souness, Jane Watson, Maia Wilson. Reserves: Tiana Metuarau, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, Sulu Fitzpatrick.
Coach: Dame Noeline Taurua
Preview: The reigning champions will be looking to make a statement after only securing bronze at the Commonwealth Games last year, so expect Dame Noeline Taurua to have some tricks up her sleeve after her side fell just short of taking out the Quad Series, after a defeat to Australia by six goals.
The biggest omission from the Silver Ferns lineup is Peta Toeva who made a real impact across the Constellation Cup back in October and was able to follow it up by having a strong season with the Mystics, where her partnership with goaler Grace Nweke was a real stand out. Taurua, however, opted for Maddy Gordon, Gina Crampton, Whitney Souness and Kate Heffernan with the latter two able to cover several positions in the midcourt, whereas Toeva is a specialist wing attack.
Much like the midcourt, Taurua has opted for versatility amongst her squad with the only specialist position player in Nweke. Even at the age of 20, her credentials and the impact that she has on the Silver Ferns speak for themselves.
Pending results, the Diamonds will most likely face the Silver Ferns for a place in the gold medal match on Day 9 or if the Ferns can edge out Jamaica to top pool G after the preliminary rounds, it'll be a 2019 rematch for the gold medal, assuming Australia makes it and tops their pool.
Player to watch: Ameliaranne Ekenasio
In her first major tournament since the World Cup back in 2019, Ameliaranne Ekenasio will look to lead the Silver Ferns to back-to-back World Cups. If the Quad Series and Constellation Cup are anything to go by, the rest of the world better look out.
Arguably one of the best shooting partnerships in the world right now, her combination with Grace Nweke has gone to new heights since the pair first played together on an international stage during the series against Jamaica last year.
When Ekenasio is on song, the whole attack end is on fire with the shooter taking on the playmaking role at goal attack, while last year's opening Constellation Cup matches prove the perfect example of the impact the goal attack has for her side.
JAMAICAN SUNSHINE GIRLS
Squad: Romelda Aiken-George, Shanice Beckford, Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Nicole Dixon-Rochester, Jhaniele Fowler (C), Crystal Plummer, Rebekah Robinson, Shamera Sterling (VC), Adean Thomas, Jodi-Ann Ward, Khadijah Williams, Latanya Wilson. Reserves: Shimona Nelson, Kimone Shaw, Abigale Sutherland
Preview: Jamaica is a bit of a wildcard, in the sense that they haven't matched up against Australia since the gold medal match in last year's Commonwealth Games and as we know a lot has changed, especially from a Diamonds perspective.
Although if the form of the key players for Sunshine Girls in the Super Netball is anything to go by, it will be a challenge for the Diamonds when the two teams meet. On top of the strong side that competed at the Commonwealth Games, where the likes of Shamera Sterling and Jhaneile Fowler helped Jamaica claim the historic silver medal, they'll also be adding Romelda Aiken-George to the mix after a standout Super Netball season with the Swifts.
Depending on the results, the Diamonds could wait as long as the medal match to take on the Sunshine Girls. If the Sunshine Girls drop to second after the second round of the preliminary stage, the Diamonds will face Jamaica on Day 9 for a spot in the gold medal match. This is assuming the Diamonds do make it to the top of pool F ahead of the preliminary rounds and at the conclusion.
Player to watch: Latanya Wilson
The Sunshine Girls have a pretty strong lineup coming into the tournament but one to watch is the Super Netball shutdown queen in Latanya Wilson.
Coming head-to-head with the likes of Liz Watson, Nat Metcalf and Gina Crampton when slotting into wing defence or Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Helen Housby and Steph Wood when at goal defence, it will be no easy task, but Wilson will be the one to nullify the influence of some of the other nations' strongest playmakers while being able to make an impact when it comes to defensive transition.
Her combination with Shamera Sterling was a real highlight for the Adelaide Thunderbirds this season, then adding former Magpie Jodi- Ann Ward into the mix at goal defence or wing defence, it'll be a headache for the opposition attack end. With her arms over pressure and aerial ability, Wilson will certainly be one to look out for come throughout the tournament.