Right about now, Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken is probably thankful that experienced midcourt players are not something New Zealand lacks.
With regular captain Anna Rowberry already out of the series against England following knee surgery, the New Zealand team was dealt a further blow yesterday with the withdrawal of
stand-in captain Lesley Rumball.
Rumball, New Zealand's most-capped player, sustained a hamstring injury during a Southern Sting training session which has ruled her out of the three-test series which starts in Auckland next Saturday.
Southern Sting midcourter Adine Wilson will take over as captain.
Rumball's rehabilitation programme is expected to last at least a month. It is the first time in her 10-year Silver Fern career that she will miss a series due to injury.
Although Rumball's experience and leadership will be missed, New Zealand does have ample backup in the wing defence position with Victoria Edward, Sheryl Scanlan and new cap Laura Langman.
But while all are extremely competent, Rumball is the master of the wing defence position.
Relentless on defence, she regularly manages to eclipse her wing attack opponents and is always working in conjunction with her fellow defenders to force the opposing attack into error.
Although England's midcourt is formidable, it does lack the power and speed of New Zealand and Australia and therefore should be containable for whoever Aitken chooses to pin the wing defence bib on.
Aitken will decide next week whether she will bring another player into the team.
With the New Zealand A team and the Silver Ferns in camp in Whangarei from tomorrow and the New Zealand under-21 side due home today from their successful tour of Jamaica and the US, she has a number of options open to her.
Among those she is likely to consider are Waikato player Amigene Metcalfe, who made her debut for New Zealand against Australia in November and young defender Casey Williams who has impressed on the under-21 side tour.
The elevation of Wilson to captain comes as no surprise. The 25-year-old captained the NZ Under 21 team at the World Youth Championships in 2000 and has been a member of the Silver Ferns since 1999.
The youngest member of the Silver Ferns senior players group, Wilson could be the one to lead New Zealand at the next world championships.
