The Canterbury Flames will meet formidable rivals Northern Force in their national league opener next year.
The teams had two huge battles in this year's competition, Force winning the round-one away game by a single goal and then going down by the same margin in a home semifinal.
It will not get
any easier for the Flames the following weekend, with another away clash, against a Waikato-Bay of Plenty side who have top recruits in shooter Irene van Dyk and defender Leana du Plooy.
Flames coach Margaret Foster has no problems about striking Force in the first round, saying that they enjoy playing against that team's style.
"I'm really rapt that it's away from home. It's nice to be able to get away with the players and really focus on the first game."
Foster neatly summed up the draw as "two hards, two [relatively] easy, and then a break" followed by "a hard and three mediums."
The cup draw was released by Netball New Zealand, with the competition condensed because of the July world championships in Jamaica.
That has meant having two double-round weekends instead of one.
"It makes it tougher, but I think we've come out on the right side on the double-headers," Foster said. "We haven't got a Sting and a Magic or a Sting and a Force."
National trials will be held over the Easter break - halfway through the round-robin - with the Silver Ferns team for the world championships being named on April 22.
Foster said she was excited about coaching next year, but felt there were still four very strong teams that stood above the others.
"But you never know. You've got different coaches and they might be able to get more out of them."
In another change, the grand final has been scheduled for a Friday night, instead of the usual Saturday night.
- NZPA
