Netball: South supreme in cup

Christchurch, the sentimental favourites, claimed the Anna Rowberry Cup in the national under-17 netball championships at Hastings yesterday.

With awesome displays of ball handling and off-the-ball movement they beat the fancied Auckland 37-31.

For Hawke's Bay, yesterday was a mixed bag. They did not finish second last as in 2011.They went one better - finishing third last dropping out of the competition with a 30-23 loss to Maniapoto. But coach Julie Williams is not in panic mode.

"With the exception of three or four players we will have the same team available next season. Also, the Hawke's Bay players in the under-15 team - they finished third in their nationals - will be available for selection," she said.

There was better news with the announcement two local umpires, Nicolette Walker and Helga Lewis had been upgraded to "C" level by the New Zealand Umpires Association following a thorough assessment which started on Monday.

And Kelly Ives was given the honour of umpiring the final.

Tears were shed on the road to the finals. Wanganui's Danielle Pearce was in tears when she gave away a foul under the hoop which, had she scored, would have given Wanganui a draw. Instead Auckland 2 won the match 24-23. Lisa Murphy, the Wanganui coach, questioned the umpire for several minutes after the game, obviously not happy with the decision.

However, there was no denying that Christchurch were worthy overall winners. Nervous and hesitant, they turned 7-9 down at the end of the first quarter before clawing their way back to turn 18-all at halftime.

Whereas Auckland's Chiara Semple was devastating under the hoops until halftime it was Christchurch's Jess Prosser who took the honours in the last quarter.

National tournament team: Popua Aleamotua (North Harbour1), Isarena Chan (Mangere/Otahuhu), Bridget Dixon (Southland), Charlotte Elley (Christchurch), Monica Faulkner (Western Bay of Plenty), Holly Fowler (Auckland), Georgia Greig (South Canterbury), Jermaine Howard-Vallance (Kapi Mana), Rachael Horrocks (Wanganui), Marcia Jerram (Hamilton City), Kelly Jury (Taranaki), Grace Kukutai (Waitakere), Hayley Lee (Christchurch), Mechaela Major (Taranaki), Sammy Murphy (Wanganui), Marcelle Parkes (Wellington), Jess Prosse (Christchurch), Chiara Semple (Auckland), Kiwa Shelford-Salt (Manawatu), Mechaela Sokolich-Beatson (North Harbour1), Mairangi Tamati (Taranaki), Maia Wilson (Auckland).