Netball: Willering puts faith in Mene as NZ skipper

By RICHARD BOOCK

Belinda Colling may have played her last test for the Silver Ferns as captain.

The skipper of New Zealand's world championship netball side, Colling failed to recover from injury in time to be considered for the forthcoming one-off netball test against Australia, and may now struggle to regain the captaincy for the following Fisher and Paykel series.

Colling's place in the side to play Australia on June 20 has been taken by former South African captain Irene van Dyk, while the captaincy has been shifted to defensive star Bernice Mene, who was skipper for a brief time in 1996.

Apart from the question-mark hovering over Colling, the main talking points in the 11-strong squad were the preference of Auckland Diamonds mid-courter Temepara George ahead of Magic captain Jenny-May Coffin, and the selection of defensive utility Anna Veronese at the expense of Lorna Suafoa.

Asked yesterday whether she expected a fit Colling to return as captain, coach and selector Yvonne Willering fell some way short of giving the Otago goalattack a ringing endorsement.

"This is not a caretaker role [for Mene] as far as I'm concerned," she said. "She's been selected as captain for the Fisher and Paykel Cup test against Australia, and that's where our complete focus is at the moment.

"It was a judgment call for Belinda, and in picking just 11 players we've left ourselves an opportunity to add a player for the following Fisher and Paykel series - although that chance is there for everyone."

However, with van Dyk rated the world's best goal-shoot and Donna Loffhagen considered not far behind, it could be difficult for Colling to command a starting berth in the F and P series, particularly if the Ferns should knock over the world champions in Newcastle.

Mene, who for much of yesterday's press conference looked as if she had just received a parking ticket rather than the New Zealand captaincy, was not shedding any light on the issue either, apart from a comment which mirrored the remarks of her coach.

"I'm happy to come into this position and I feel capable of handling it," she said. "It's not something I think of as unfinished business. It's something I've been offered and I'm looking at doing whatever I have to do here and now."

The 25-year-old Sting goal-keep took the captaincy from Lesley Nicol when Willering succeeded Leigh Gibbs in 1996, and ironically, has taken the reins from another Otago captain with yesterday's promotion.

Colling has been racing the clock to be available for the New Zealand women's basketball team as well as the Silver Ferns, and seems likely to be drafted into Willering's squad for the F and P series, possibly starting her comeback on the bench.

She said yesterday that her rehabilitation was on track and that she was looking forward to returning to both international courts.

"I'm obviously extremely disappointed that I'll not be joining the Silver Ferns for the F and P Cup. But I do wish Yvonne and the girls my support and best wishes in their endeavours to repeat last year's success."

Colling's replacement, van Dyk, said she could hardly contain herself after being tipped off by Willering before the announcement.

"I'm so excited," she said. "I almost screamed the roof off when I heard the news. Now I just want play to the best of my ability. I became a Kiwi during the Coca-Cola Cup and I'm here to stay. I going to give it everything."

Willering said George had received the nod ahead of Coffin as Sonya Hardcastle's replacement on performance, grabbing her selection on the back of an extremely consistent season.

Silver Ferns: Bernice Mene (captain), Linda Vagana, Belinda Charteris, Anna Veronese; Lesley Nicol, Julie Seymour, Anna Rowberry, Temepara George; Irene van Dyk, Donna Loffhagen, Teresa Tairi.