Netball: Silver Ferns to test themselves in town

The Silver Ferns will play a match in Rotorua next year against England, with action from top netballers such as Silver Fern Irene van Dyke (left). Photo/File

The Rotorua netball community is rapt with the news the Silver Ferns will play a match against England at the Energy Events Centre.

The Silver Ferns will play four internationals in New Zealand next year and have named Rotorua as the host city for their test against England on October 28.

The Silver Ferns have not played a test in Rotorua since August 2009.

Rotorua Netball secretary Mary Thompson said she received a number of calls from excited locals after the draw was released on Friday.

"I've had a couple of calls already with people asking if I'd heard the news," she said.

She said it was a great result for Rotorua.

"I appreciate Netball New Zealand trying to spread the games around the country," she said. "We have got one ANZ Championship game her next year as well."

She said hopefully lots of people would get down to the venue and support the Silver Ferns in October next year.

Netball New Zealand chief executive Hilary Poole said they decided to bring the test to Rotorua because of the quality venue and the netball community here.

"It is a great venue, it works really well for international tests and there is a strong, recognised netball community in Rotorua and we expect really good attendance," she said.

She said Netball New Zealand also liked to move international matches between big centres and smaller cities and towns.

"There is 140,000 registered netball players in New Zealand and they are really well spread out across the country.

"It is good for the sport for the matches to go through out New Zealand."

England will play two test matches against the Silver Ferns in October for the Taini Jamison Trophy.

Rotorua's Taini Jamison is a Netball New Zealand life member and coached the Silver Ferns to a world championship title in 1967.She was also the coach when they were runners-up at the next world championships in Jamaica in 1971.

If the Kia Magic game earlier this year was anything to go by, the Silver Ferns game should easily sell out at the Energy Events Centre which can hold about 3000 people for a sporting event.

The Magic v Steel match in June attracted a full house at the same venue.