Silver Ferns captain Anna Rowberry has spent several days in Rarotonga helping one of New Zealand's upcoming world championship rivals, the Cook Islands.
But it was all with the knowledge and approval of coach Ruth Aitken.
Rowberry said she and Auckland Diamonds team-mate Victoria Edward had been asked if they could help
out by the Cook Islands team's technical adviser, Georgie Salter.
Salter was their old Otago Rebels coach, and the Diamonds were not involved in the National Bank Cup playoffs.
Rowberry said they accepted the offer despite the fairly short notice and spent five days there.
The two midcourters took part in a few training sessions and when the squad split into two for a game they played on different sides.
"It was really successful. We generated a lot of interest for the Cooks; they managed to field quite a few sponsorship deals for the world championships while we were there," Rowberry said.
While the Cook Islands are in the same group as New Zealand at the July world championships in Jamaica, Aitken had no problem letting her captain go, Rowberry said.
"It was an opportunity for me to have a few games and get some more trainings, so she was keen for me to go."
And she said it was a chance "for me to have a wee spy as well".
She said if she could help the Cooks lift their standard, then that had to be good for netball. They finished seventh at the 1999 tournament in Christchurch, fielding a handful of New Zealand players.
Rowberry said the team now comprised entirely Cook Islands-based players but was probably still top-eight material.
All four squad shooters were very accurate, and the players had "that natural flair a lot of Polynesian players have".
Rowberry said she and Edward were treated like royalty. They bypassed customs at the airport and were ushered out the back to be greeted by Prime Minister Dr Robert Woonton.
The Silver Ferns go into camp in Christchurch on Sunday for the three-test series against England. The series starts on June 9 in Christchurch, with the other tests in Wellington on June 11 and Auckland two days later.
- NZPA
