View photosKEY POINTS:
Australia favourites? Not according to coach Norma Plummer.
"While a New Zealand team is walking out on court with an Irene van Dyk they are still number one."
The feeling on this side of the Tasman is a little different. Here the Australians are seen as being in
the box seat going into these world championships. They have beaten the Ferns in six of the last 10 encounters. While the Silver Ferns are solidifying key combinations, especially in the midcourt, the Australians are rock solid.
When Plummer took over as Australian coach when Jill McIntosh retired, the green and golds had to rebuild.
As a result they struggled against what was an impressive Silver Ferns outfit.
The turning point came in July last year where Australia tore apart a New Zealand team who started without van Dyk then lost influential centre Temepara George through injury. Australia went on to win five of the next seven encounters.
In Mo'onia Gerrard and Selina Gilsenan, Australia have found two potent defenders to complement the tireless Liz Ellis.
The von Bertouch sisters, Laura and Natalie, are a midcourt duo capable of causing chaos to any defence.
Then there is the resurgence of Catherine Cox who has gone from a hit-and-miss shooter to one of the next best to van Dyk. Her combination with Sharelle McMahon is likely to be the strongest in the tournament.
Of Cox, Plummer said: "I worked her pretty hard and told her she had to change it up, otherwise she would be sitting on the bench.
"I was absolutely delighted in England. I started off with [Susan] Pratley and felt by halftime she had started to go off a bit so I said to Cath 'this is it, play it this way and everything will work out'.
"She walked out and shot nine out of 10 in that third quarter. She hasn't been off the court since."
In relation to van Dyk, it appears Australia have gone some way to eliminating her effectiveness.
"Our focus is not just on Irene, but, in saying that she still put up 34 out of 35 in the last test we played. Her percentages are sensational.
"Our whole strategy is that each player has to do a job and each player has to beat their opponent. It is not just about Irene van Dyk and us shutting her down.
"There are a lot of options for New Zealand and if we are not mindful of those then we are going to come off second-best."
Plummer is also wary of Jamaica and England, the latter coached by her friend and former Australian teammate Marg Caldow who took over from former New Zealand player and coach Lyn Gunson.
"I definitely felt the attack end from England was playing the Australian way. It mirrored a fair bit of our game, the way they were rotating and everything but the back end was still dropping down to a zone and I wondered if that is still not a little bit from having Lyn [Gunson] coaching.
"Maybe they have been able to interact and blend on the ball or off the ball at the time. Tactically I think we have to be prepared that they are going to try and shut you down with a zone or they can also work one on one."
Plummer said she held Jamaica's coach Connie Francis in high regard.
"I wouldn't underestimate any of them. Connie Francis has been to five world championships, she was a great player."
Plummer said recovery will be vital for all the teams in the week-long tournament.
"We'll take each day as it comes. I do believe any one of the top four teams can take out this tournament. We know what the crowds are going to be like. That is not going to faze us."
Despite not having beaten New Zealand at Trusts Stadium, Plummer said she is not superstitious.
"There are white lines, those white lines don't change. The dimensions don't change. I have been asked about Trusts Stadium.
"It wasn't the stadium that lost the games."
* AUSTRALIA
Liz Ellis
Sharelle McMahon
Bianca Chatfield
Catherine Cox
Mo'onia Gerrard
Selina Gilsenan
Natalie Medhurst
Lauren Nourse
Susan Pratley
Julie Prendergast
Laura von Bertouch
Natalie von Bertouch