Netball: We were rubbish says Vagana

"Pathetic." That's how Force defender Linda Vagana describes her team's performance the last time they played the Magic.

Beaten 59-53 in round six, Vagana said they let themselves down.

"It was rubbish netball. We didn't get the chance to show what we were capable of.

"We gave so many balls away on attack and defensively we focused too much on Irene [van Dyk] instead of playing as a defensive unit."

On Sunday, the Force have the chance to make amends when they line up against the Magic at the North Shore Events Centre in the second National Bank Cup semifinal.

The winner will play the victor of tonight's game between defending champions the Southern Sting and the Otago Rebels.

"The Magic are a good team," Vagana says. "I always knew they were going to be one of the biggest to beat. I rate them higher than the Sting. They have strength at both ends of the court as well as a nippy midcourt."

And to beat them?

"We need to look more into their game and focus on what their strengths are and how we can combat those.

"We have to play as a team rather than isolate one other.

"The fact that we have played together for so long and are used to each other should help us. The Magic have a lot of new combinations and last time we just weren't fast enough adjusting to what was happening on court."

With at least six former Silver Ferns in their ranks, the Force's strength on paper has failed to transfer onto the court in recent years.

Last year they made it to the semifinals but lost to the Canterbury Flames by one goal.

Vagana says the reason for their failure to win the competition or even make a final is difficult to pinpoint.

"Maybe we need to be tougher on each other.

"We are really close off court and tend not to yell at each other on the court. Maybe that is the problem. Maybe we need to be more demanding on each other."

As for the other semifinal, the Rebels are the only team to have beaten the Sting - winning by two goals back in round two.

Vagana says: "I think they played each other before the start of the competition and the Sting kicked the Rebels so maybe went into the last game a bit too confident.

"I think the Sting will win but the Rebels are the sort of team that can come out of nowhere."

Meanwhile, Sting coach Robyn Broughton says she has no concerns about the appointment of umpires Bobbi Reid and Bronwyn Speir for the match.

Magic coach Noeline Taurua criticised the pair last weekend when the Rebels hosted the Magic.

Taurua was angry about what she said was inconsistent umpiring, which had allowed Rebels defenders Anna Scarlett and Stephanie Bond to get away with aggressive and illegal defending.

"I am truly ambivalent with the umpire thing," Broughton said.

"Certainly they haven't got into my head. With coaches, if you start feeling an umpire is in your head, then you start thinking, 'Oh my God. She's going to start pulling her up and pulling her up'. If that happens then that's when I start to worry but I can honestly say that I haven't felt much of that at all."