Netball: All fab with best abs in business

Temepara George

Temepara George says she has shaken not only her stomach injury but also her pasty complexion ahead of the opening round of the national provincial championships.

The Silver Ferns were told to take August off so what did George do?

She packed up and went to Rarotonga and Samoa and took some coaching clinics.

Rarotonga, whose international side is coached by former Silver Fern Ana Noovao, approached Netball New Zealand about the possibility of getting George and her Ferns teammate Vilimaina Davu over.

The pair jumped at the chance ... a little sand, a little surf, a little netball.

George then went to Samoa and worked with the national team, who are coached by her former Silver Fern and Force teammate Linda Vagana, and Sheryl Hyndman. It was the first time George had been to either country and she "loved them both".

"I am not so pasty anymore," she laughs.

While the Silver Ferns were given the month off netball, they still had to maintain their fitness.

"I didn't do intense training but just kept up a base level, running and doing a few weights here and there. I joined in the coaching clinics and let Vilimaina, who is a real bossy boots, boss me around."

As to how the most precious abs in New Zealand netball are?

The tear to her oblique muscle, which she suffered in the series against Australia, was now fully repaired.

"I played a club game about three weeks ago and it was fantastic so I am really pleased."

The Silver Ferns don't get another break until after next year's world championships in Fiji, now just 10 months away.

George returns to the defending champion North side who last year, under the guidance of coach Yvonne Willering, bolted through the competition unbeaten.

"Yvonne did a really good job at rotating players throughout the week. There was no one who was pushed into the dirt because they had been on court all the time.

"We came together well as a team, had belief in one another and really enjoyed it at the same time."

While the key players from that team are back, the side has a new coach in Melissa Walker and a handful of new players including Samoan international Monica Fuimaono, Areta Thatcher and Tiana Tuuta.

That mix of youth and experience is common in most of the first grade teams. Unlike the National Bank Cup which is an elite eight-team competition, the NPC is designed to help expose more players to top level netball.

While North have six players from their franchise side the Force, Waikato boast the eight players from the Magic and shooter Hayley Stockman who played for the Shakers, and Canterbury have 10 from the Flames.

George, who joined up with her team last week, said her side were looking "promising".

Following the loss of Daneka Wipiiti to Western, she said the Force shooting combination of Catherine Latu and Bridgette Tapene was developing well while Silver Ferns live wire Leana de Bruin would give the side plenty of strength on defence.

North head to Christchurch this weekend for their first round of games where they play Eastern, Otago and Canterbury. On paper North should win all three although Canterbury, who have Julie Seymour, Davu and promising shooter Jade Topia in their ranks, could cause them them some difficulty.

A less than successful weekend and the Force's chances of defending their title could go down the gurgler.

"This weekend is really important, if we don't do well, we won't make the top six. It will be a good challenge for us as a new team."

TEMEPARA GEORGE

Team: North
Positions: C, WA
Height: 1.70m

Career highlights:
1996-2006: Silver Ferns squad
2000-2006: Force
2003-2006: North
1998-2002: Counties Manukau