Rankings indicate form

Not through here: Whangara Old Girls wing defence Torepe Taumaunu blocks passing lane from table toppers YMP wing attack Maia Rickard. These two teams will face off tonight at the YMCA at 6pm. Picture by Liam Clayton

The top two teams on the Gisborne premier grade points table should win if they play to their potential in midweek netball at the YMCA tonight.

In the first of the Pak'nSave competition matches, at 6pm, table-toppers YMP (1) take on traditional rivals Whangara Old Girls.

“YMP have been on a roll lately and have shown they're a top contender for the grade,” Netball Centre manager Allisa Hall said.

“This will be a tough game for Whangara.

“However, they will take heart from their strong fightback against High School Old Girls last weekend, which earned them a bonus point and moved them back into the top four.”

The last time YMP and Whangara played each other, in Round 2, unbeaten YMP won 59-38.

“Whangara will hope to improve on that,” Hall said.

In the 7.30pm match, Claydens Waikohu (1) will play F45 HSOG.

“That will be a good match-up,” Hall said.

“Waikohu have also been strong this season, but High School Old Girls will come into it with renewed confidence after their win against Whangara last week.

“Last time these teams met, Waikohu won by only three goals, so we're expecting another close battle this week with both teams hungry for the four points on offer.”

YMP and Waikohu go into tonight's games ranked one and two respectively on the table.

' The selectors have named the premier grade representative side and management for the Netball NZ Open championships in Palmerston North from September 6 to 10.

The team members are: Alex Sinclair (HSOG), Arahia Tuhua (Waikohu), Bronya McMenamin (YMP), Grace Tahuri (YMP), Keasi Williams-Fonohema (YMP), Lucretia Taitapanui (Horouta), Lyric Wesche (YMP), Ngahuria Akania (Horouta), Paku-Jane Skudder (YMP) and Princess Tomoana (Waikohu).

The team will be coached by Ingrid Brown and the manager will be Charnelle Rutene.

' The Gisborne under-16 representative side won the C Grade competition last week at the Envirowaste North Island junior championships in Taranaki.

“They had a fantastic tournament, winning all six games to advance to the final where they beat Tauranga Mauao 24-22 to take out the C Grade title,” Hall said.

“They earned promotion to the B Grade for 2023.”

They beat Dannevirke 21-13, Eastern Waikato 23-21, Horowhenua 30-8, Tauranga Mauao 30-18, Matamata Development 39-17, Whanganui 33-15 and Tauranga Mauao 24-22.

The team comprised Leonie Belk (coach), Kassie Owen, Ihapera Ogden, Alice Sparks, Nicola Bronlund, Jaimee Rika, Georgina Moeke, Ahenata Cotter-Luke, Natasha Bronlund, Anita Hungahunga-Smith, Aio Bebe-Hollis and Bridget Sparks (manager).

' The Gisborne under-18 reps have been in action since Monday at their Netball NZ tournament in Christchurch.

On Monday they defeated Nelson 30-29 and lost narrowly to Taranaki 25-23.

Yesterday they lost 52-15 to Howick Pakuranga, and 44-9 to Wellington A.

They finished third in their pool behind those two teams and moved into the 17th-32nd section of the championships.