Netball: Ngongotaha chase title double

One of Rotorua's best teams Whakarewarewa (red and black). Photo / Ben Fraser

Ngongotaha will look to cap off an impressive season with victory at the 82nd Kurangaituku Netball Tournament in Rotorua.

If Ngongotaha can take out the A grade title at the annual event this weekend they will make it two major titles this season.

Earlier this year they claimed Tauranga's top netball prize by winning the Harbourside Netball Centre premier competition.

Ngongotaha player Tania-Rose Raharuhi said they wanted to win the Kurangaituku Netball Tournament's A grade competition starting today.

"We really want to go and win it because we have the Harbourside title so this would really cap off the season," she said.

"We won't be taking this lightly. Every year it is hard and this year we want to work really hard to win."

Over 100 teams will be in action today and tomorrow across five grades - A, B, C, D and Masters (over-35s) - at the Westbrook Netball Courts on Malfroy Rd.

Such is the large number of entries each year the tournament has to be held across two weekends with the social teams playing last weekend.

Raharuhi said her team had been together for a long time with most of the girls having played together since they left Western Heights High School about six years ago.

She said despite having a few players out this weekend, they still had a strong line-up.

"We have had a few that are not available with other commitments like the Bay women's rugby team, but most of us are the core of that team which won the Harbourside competition."

She said they had been taking a pretty relaxed approach to the Kurangaituku tournament this year, in terms of trainings, similar to what they had done all season.

"We did not train at all during the season but it is because we have been together for so long and the girls know each other and can adapt [on game day]. So we are looking at doing the same again."

The only other local team in the A grade this weekend is Whakarewarewa. Ngongotaha and Whaka play each other in a Rotorua derby match at 12.15pm on court four.

"That is going to be the game to watch," Raharuhi said.

The format for the A grade this weekend sees all seven teams in the top division play each other once.

The team with the most wins after the round robin will win the title.

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