No matter the end result Harcourts will receive a wake-up call in their opening regional super league netball match against PIC 2 at Te Rauparaha Stadium, Porirua tomorrow. Harcourts go into the division two game with a string of big wins in the Wairarapa premier one competition behind them but PIC2 are guaranteed to provide a stiffer test to what they have struck there. They are the fifth-ranked side in the Wellington premier division and as such will be used to playing highly-skilled opposition on a regular basis. Harcourts player-coach Kelly Sargent is confident, however, that if Harcourts play to their potential they are capable of coming away with a win. The fact they have four players Sargent herself, Sarah Brooking, Katie Wyeth and Geraldine Carroll who have played at super league level over the past couple of seasons is a major plus as they have first hand experience of not only the higher standard of play, but also the variance in refereeing interpretations. Sargent has warned her side, for instance, that referees are likely to be more liberal in their use of the contact rule than what they are locally, same with the advantage rule. And she acknowledges that whereas Harcourts have been able to able to take the foot off the pedal in Wairarapa premier division one games and still call the tune they will now need to maintain momentum through the full 60 minutes if victory is to be achieved. The full Harcourts squad is: Kelly Sargent, Geraldine Carroll, Waimarama Phillips, Katie Wyeth, Emma Foote, Carlene Karaitiana, Amy Lucas, Eleni Heggie, Dayna Fleet, Sarah Brooking and Te Ata Phillips. Several players with Wairarapa connections are also involved in this year's regional super league. In the Taita line-up are Abby Hill, Ngahuia Wilson and Hope Phillips, Rosie Mahoney is part of PIC 1 and Louise Eaton will play for Kapiti. Meanwhile, the Wairarapa year 7 netball side for the 2009 season has been named. It is: Annarose Iefata, Te Kapua Haira, Nicole Sim, Jorden O'Brien, Mikayla Morrison, Ella Watt, Queenie Walker-Albrett, Georgia Oliver, Tia Whakahau and Bailee Potangaroa,
