Netball: Double the incentive for the Force

By JULIE ASH

Can the Force stay at the top of the table? That is the talking point as the North Harbour team prepare to line up against the Otago Rebels and the Southern Sting in this weekend's double-header.

After two rounds the Force lead the national league with narrow wins against the Canterbury Flames and the Auckland Diamonds.

The Rebels and the Sting are two of the hot shots in the competition, and if the Force make it through the weekend unscathed, they will have a great deal of confidence heading into the second half of the competition.

Although the Force are obviously aware that two wins will make the road to the final a lot easier, their immediate focus is on tonight's match in Dunedin against the Rebels who upset defending champions the Sting last weekend.

Like the Sting, the Force are stronger than the Rebels on paper. But if Rebels defenders Stephanie Bond and Anna Scarlett can rattle Force shooters Teresa Tairi and Daneka Wipiiti as much as they did the Sting duo of Tania Dalton and Donna Loffhagen then the Rebels could easily win.

"The Rebels are a great up-and-coming team and have strength throughout the court," said Force centre Temepara Clark.

She said her team were disappointed with their match against the Diamonds last weekend and have spent the week "trying to get it together".

"In our first game against the Flames we were all itching to get out there but then in our second game it all turned to custard. So we have been really working on getting everything perfect."

Things will also have to be pretty much perfect on Sunday in Invercargill when they meet the Sting.

Both teams have plenty of strength and experience throughout the court so the game could come down to accuracy in the shooting circle. That may give the Sting an edge because Dalton and Loffhagen have performed better than Tairi and Wipiiti so far.

In other round three matches tonight, the Sting face the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic and the Flames play the Western Flyers. Tomorrow afternoon the Diamonds meet the Capital Shakers in Auckland. The Counties Manukau Cometz have the bye.

In Sunday's round four, the Magic play the Shakers, the Cometz tackle the Flames in Papatoetoe and the Flyers play the Rebels, with the Diamonds having the bye.

This weekend is the last chance for players to secure a place in the New Zealand squad being expanded from its current 16 players. Coach Ruth Aitken hopes to add a few more names on Monday before the Silver Ferns trials in Auckland over Easter.

The team for the series against England in June and the world championships in July will be named on April 22.