Netball: Rookie shooters face pressure cooker

Bailey Mes heads into her first major tournament as the Ferns' first-choice goal shoot. Photo / Getty Images

They've recorded convincing wins over Fiji and South Africa, tested several alternative lines in each area of the court and closely replicated the relentless World Cup schedule. But there's still one area the new-look Silver Ferns side have not been tested in before they hit the court in Sydney: how the young players will cope when they're put under pressure.

The Ferns yesterday dispersed for a few days' down time after completing their pre-World Cup workouts with a convincing 67-28 win over South Africa. The next time the team reassembles will be at the airport next week before they board a plane to Sydney.

New Zealand coach Waimarama Taumaunu will feel much more comfortable about getting on that plane than she would have last week, after the Ferns largely met all their performance targets in their three matches of the Taini Jamison series, with the exception of a lacklustre defensive effort in their opening test against the Proteas. But there are still plenty of unknowns about this Ferns side.

Having never really been challenged across the course of the series, it is impossible to know how the New Zealand team, and in particular the two rookie shooters, Bailey Mes and Malia Paseka, will fare on the sport's biggest stage. Taumaunu acknowledged that while the shooters could try to mimic pressure situations in training, the reality is we won't find out what they're made of until those big moments occur.

"We won't know how they will go until it actually hits. In saying that, of the four [shooters] we've got two that I would place money on - if I was allowed to - under pressure," she said.

"We're aware we haven't been tested to the extent that we're going to be but we're very focused on ourselves, on putting out our best performance, on meeting our own targets and continuing to do that as the competition ratchets up."

There is a lot of pressure especially on the shoulders of Mes, who suddenly finds herself heading into her first major tournament as the Ferns' first-choice option at goal shoot following Cathrine Latu's high-profile omission from the World Cup team. Mes has never played in the transtasman league playoffs. This year was the first time the 26 year-old has been a regular starter in the ANZ Championship.

Add to that the concerns over Mes' shooting accuracy after some wobbly performances against Australia and England last season, and there is some anxiety about how the Ferns will cope against the top nations at the tournament.

But the 12-test Silver Fern said she did not feel unduly burdened heading into the tournament.

"I guess I try not to think about it. There's definitely some big shoes to fill in that goal shoot role after Irene and Cathrine and there will be moments when pressure will be a factor, but that just comes with the job. We've had a really good lead-in to the World Cup. I think we produced some really good stuff out on court, and that gives us all confidence."

Taumaunu said that while Mes had not been able to produce shooting accuracy to rival the likes of Australia's Caitlin Bassett or Jamaican twin towers Romelda Aiken and Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, her shooting volume and rebounding ability made her just as lethal. But just as importantly, Mes had changed the dynamic in the attack end, with the midcourt playing with more freedom and confidence.

The Ferns fly to Sydney on Monday before their cup opener against Barbados on August 7.