By RICHARD BOOCK
It was HG Wells who once warned us to adapt or perish, something Irene van Dyk has made a point of taking on board during her two years with the Silver Ferns.
The metronomic-like shooter was seen as a great asset when she came from South Africa in 2000,
but one who needed to address her one-dimensional style and lack of variation.
To start with, there was an awkward New Zealand debut against Australia and then a degree of soul-searching behind the scenes, as the former Protea accepted the challenge to expand her game and put in the extra hours.
The result has been like a finishing school for van Dyk, who is now rated the best goal shoot in the world and an automatic starter for tonight's first test against South Africa.
The gains have been made in several areas in her mobility, her positional work and footwork, although she also appears more adept at gauging the pace of a game, and can take a knock far better than before.
This last point is apparently no small issue in today's more vigorous and bustling game, where a stray elbow or clash of bodies is the norm rather than the exception.
In terms of pace and competitiveness, the game seems to remain steadily on the march, which van Dyk says makes her only more aware of the need to be flexible and adaptable.
And even if she wasn't too concerned with world trends, there has been enough change within the Silver Ferns over the past year to keep the remaining players on their toes.
Not only has her old hunting companion Donna Loffhagen retired, but so has Bernice Mene, Linda Vagana, Belinda Blair and Tania Dalton, and Julie Seymour is unavailable.
The loss of Loffhagen was a particular blow because the Sting goal-attack had struck up a potent coupling with van Dyk and the combination seemed to be improving with every season.
On the question of her adaptability, van Dyk says she has learned enough over the years to appreciate that nothing is likely to stay the same for long, and is subsequently looking forward to working with the replacement players.
"At least having to adjust to some different players won't be anything new," she says. "I had to work on my adaptability when I first came here and it isn't something you stop doing.
"I think I'm far more flexible now than I was in the past.
And considering what's been happening with my team-mates this year, it's possibly just as well."
There is a tinge of disappointment about her mates bowing out of the international arena and van Dyk readily concedes she misses their camaraderie and on-court skills, not to mention the bond created from several seasons together.
But there is also an "unbelievable excitement" within the camp as an essentially new-look squad prepare to earn their international spurs and signal a brave new world for New Zealand netball.
"From that side of it, it's just incredibly interesting and a breath of fresh air for the team because there's going to be different opportunities for different players, and a new challenge for all of us.
"In that respect, I don't think we can afford to dwell much on the past," she says. "It's an opportunity which you have to grab by the bloody horns and use, because you never know if you'll get another chance.
"Because of that there's just a tremendous feeling in the camp; it's got me all fired up, anyway."
As for the South Africans, van Dyk is playing down their chances in the series, observing that the 12-strong squad is dramatically different from the one picked for the Commonwealth Games.
A relatively inexperienced South African side looked awful during the opening stanzas at Manchester before gradually improving through the tournament and making quite an impression at the end.
But the selectors have again rung the changes for this series, choosing just six players who attended the Games, as well as a handful of novices and some former internationals.
"I don't think they'll be that strong," van Dyk says. "They're on a huge learning curve and have effectively come over here to help speed up their education.
"They [the selectors] will be able to stand back soon and get a good idea of who they want for next year's world championships, but it's a big call and a tough assignment for this side."
FACT FILE
* New Zealand and South Africa have met 16 times, New Zealand winning 15. The one loss was at the 1995 world championships in Birmingham, 59-57.
* The Silver Ferns have toured South Africa once, in 2000, winning both internationals, 88-34 and 81-35.
* Irene van Dyk's shooting percentage in this year's National Bank Cup for the Capital Shakers was 91 per cent - goaling 350 out of 383.
By RICHARD BOOCK
It was HG Wells who once warned us to adapt or perish, something Irene van Dyk has made a point of taking on board during her two years with the Silver Ferns.
The metronomic-like shooter was seen as a great asset when she came from South Africa in 2000,
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