KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's quest to win the 2003 world netball championship had them eating, drinking and sleeping the game for two years.
It was a formula that worked and former Silver Fern Vilimaina Davu, in the side who beat Australia 49-47 in the final, has no doubt it will
work again.
"The commitment for the two years coming up to the world cup ... it was just full on," she said.
"Sleep, eat, drink netball."
Although Australia have been installed as the tournament favourites ahead of the hosts for this year's championship starting in Auckland on Saturday, 90-test double international Davu is confident the Silver Ferns can prevail in the final on November 17.
"Looking at the New Zealand team now .... I don't see any weakness. They've got strength from one end to another," she said.
"They're capable of retaining the world cup. I have confidence in those players."
Davu retired from the Silver Ferns last year to coach the Fijian team in what was to be a home tournament in four months ago.
Instead, the military coup saw the tournament transferred from Fiji to Auckland and, after two of her original players withdrew after visa dramas, the bruising defender will don the goal keep's bib.
While the imposing 1.9m Davu, who burst on to the international scene for Fiji at the world championship in Christchurch in 1999, will be making an unscripted comeback it seems her former vice-captain will not be doing likewise.
Temepara George remains on standby for the Silver Ferns after being coaxed out of retirement, but with Laura Langman's stress fracture on the mend the dynamic centre is unlikely to play a role after helping New Zealand claim the title in Jamaica four years ago.
Australian coach Norma Plummer is not yet convinced George will be missing when New Zealand's 12-member squad are confirmed on Saturday morning.
Davu shared Plummer's view that Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken could err by not pressing an admittedly underdone George into service.
"I've got no words to explain Temepara George," she said.
"She's one of the best .... (if they) have Temepara back in the team, it's a boost for New Zealand."
"They're capable of retaining the world cup. I have confidence in those players."
Meanwhile, New Zealand's players are confined to individual training programmes after consecutive court sessions over the past two days.
Their preparation has been infinitely superior to their opening night opponents Malawi, who were not expected to reach their North Shore base until the early hours of today.
The lowly-ranked Africans were to start shaking off their jetlag today - after arriving more than 24 hours behind schedule.
Visa complications delayed the squad in South Africa enroute to Sydney.
Malawi's late arrival represented a minor glitch for Australia, who had hoped to play a warmup game against the minnows last night.
Australia had already played South Africa on Tuesday night while the Silver Ferns have had to practice amongst themselves after England and Trinidad and Tobago both declined invitations to have a practice game.
- NZPA
