Netball: Pressure? That's the other team's problem

You've won the title six times in eight years, you play in front of the most passionate home support in the country and tonight you need to pick yourselves up from a 10-point buffeting to secure a place in next week's final.

Pressure? No worries for the Sting ahead of tonight's semifinal.

At least that's how experienced Silver Fern Belinda Colling sees things. Perhaps that's because Colling is new to the Sting this year, and maybe it has something to do with those 83 test caps which have probably helped develop a measure of immunity to the P word.

"It is mentioned now and again, but it's not something the girls will carry into the game," goal attack Colling said yesterday.

"Yes, there's that pressure to perform, but that's always there when you're trying to represent your province. Yes, they've got a very successful record and there's lots of expectations from the community, but again that's always been there."

And that's because the Sting have been in each of the competition's eight previous finals, losing in 1998 and last year.

The Sting had hoped to take Route One into next week's National Bank Cup final by beating the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in last week's major semifinal.

Instead, they were well beaten, 61-51, and need to restate their final credentials once more tonight. But Colling maintains there's been no denting of confidence as a result. Rather, the Sting's problem has been gelling, finding that ingredient which makes everything click into place.

They have had three losses this year: by the Magic, in round one and the semifinal, and the Flames in the final set of round robin games a fortnight ago. That means back-to-back defeats but ...

"I don't think confidence is an issue.

"We know we're just not hitting the right notes. Everybody is extremely confident in their ability. It's just trying to get the fire going, get the connection."

Having the likes of Colling, in-form shooter Tania Dalton, former international Lesley Rumball, Silver Ferns captain Adine Wilson and Australian international Natalie Avellino dotted about the court ensures there's plenty of accumulated netball wisdom.

And Colling knows that even if the Sting are singing slightly off-key, at least they're still up and running, which is more than can be said for five other franchises.