Netball: Injury query over Rumball for series

Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken may need another player for the home series against England after an injury to her replacement captain.

Lesley Rumball suffered a slight tear to the top of her hamstring during a Southern Sting training session last week, affecting her lower back.

Aitken said it was too early to say whether Rumball would be fit for the series, which starts in Auckland on March 12.

"It is definitely getting better every day, it is just whether she runs out of time or not," Aitken said. "I would say by the end of the week we will know whether she is expected to come right or whether it is better for her to go and rehabilitate it completely."

Aitken said she would "probably" bring in another player should Rumball be ruled out.

"It would depend. If Lesley just needed a bit of extra time then maybe we could allow that. We are taking it one step at a time ... once we have got the medical prognosis then we will look at the options."

With regular captain Anna Rowberry already out of the series after knee surgery, Aitken joked that the captaincy might be the "kiss the death".

But with Sheryl Scanlan, Victoria Edward and newcomer Laura Langman, the Silver Ferns have plenty of depth in the wing defence.

If Rumball is ruled out it could clear the way for the return of Waikato midcourter Amigene Metcalfe, who missed selection after making her debut against Australia in November.

The Silver Ferns go into camp on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the English squad of 13 have arrived, fresh from a 61-21 drubbing by Australia in Melbourne, and facing a tough battle against not only New Zealand but also a mounting injury toll.

Former captain Amanda Newton and experienced attacker Tracey Neville are recuperating from knee surgery and will not play.

Wing defence Jade Clarke injured her ankle in the second warm-up game of the Australian leg of the tour and will return to England after the first test.

But there is some hope for the England coach, former Australian international Marg Caldow, with the likely return of captain Olivia Murphy and goalshoot Karen Greig for the first test.

Murphy has been recovering from foot surgery and Caldow hoped she would be available to play, while Greig had been held up in England for personal reasons.

Murphy and Caldow are in Auckland with the team.

England have shown signs of improvement recently and recorded a convincing series win against South Africa in December.

Caldow said the loss to Australia hit the side hard after their recent positive results.

"We had a very good series against South Africa where, except for Amanda [Newton], we had a full complement of players."

Ranked fourth in the world, the team are building up for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne next year and a shot at a medal.

Without the experienced players, Caldow has had a chance to give her younger players a run and her findings from this tour will play a major part in the final team she takes to the Games.

"We certainly don't get it [tough competition] on a regular basis in England."

England will tour Jamaica in June.

- additional reporting NZPA