KEY POINTS:
When Laura Langman took a 40-minute run through the fields of her dairy farm beneath Mt Pirongia yesterday, it was cause for minor celebration.
It was the first real fitness test for the injured Silver Fern, and she passed it with flying colours - no pain from the
stress fracture in her left foot.
With only 11 days until the Ferns' opening match of the world netball championships in Waitakere, New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken now says she is "confident" that Langman, a vital link in the Ferns' midcourt, will play in the eight-day tournament.
Langman is not yet a shoo-in. She continues to work on an intensive programme to heal the injury, suffered during a training session a month ago. New Zealand squad members Liana Barrett-Chase and former vice captain Temepara George remain on stand-by in case Langman does not pass a final fitness test.
The 21-year-old Waikato centre will join the extended Ferns squad in their last training camp in Auckland this weekend, and will play her first game on Sunday.
The Silver Ferns, like all 16 teams in the world championships, have until midday on Saturday November 10 - opening day - to make any final changes to their 12-strong playing line-ups. But Aitken said she would like to finalise her team well before the deadline. "We will come back into camp with Laura and she'll have a hit out for a few days to see how she can handle the repeated load her foot," Aitken said.
Langman, a 28-test veteran, has been dedicated to the task of following an injury management plan drawn up the Ferns medical team and orthopaedic specialists.
Twice a day, she swims or rides a stationary bike. Last week, she travelled with the Ferns to Melbourne where she attempted some light agility work with the team. But Aitken said Langman's fervour to recover has meant she has had to be roped in at times.
"Pain means nothing to Laura," she said. "She's so determined to get back out there, we've had to remind her that free time doesn't mean she needs to do a third fitness session a day.
"When she went for her first run, her fitness was still good. She was really worried that her fitness would fall off, but it hasn't. All that country air and cows' milk is doing wonders for her."
The other fitness concern in the Ferns camp, defender Joline Henry's strained calf, came through the Melbourne trip well. Henry played some half-games and had no trouble with the speed and agility sessions.
The rest of the side survived some rough and tough match play from the Victorian men's team, and some zippy competition from the Melbourne Central women's side. Atiken said it was an ideal short tour to show her where the team stood on the eve of their world title defence.
"It showed the links are developing out on court and the time we have spent together over the last two months has really paid dividends," she said. "You can really see the evolution of the group."
* Former Silver Fern Vilimaina Davu has named 10 of her 12 players for the Fijian side to contest the world championships after a week's training camp in Australia.
Davu took 15 players to Australia, but will add two from the non-travelling list later this week.
Netball Fiji president Alice Tabete told the Herald the passports of the chosen players would be taken to the New Zealand High Commission this week, and she expected no problems with visas to enter the country in light of last year's military coup.
This month, Fijian footballer Simione Tamanisau was refused entry because of family links to the military. Tabete denied Fijian media reports that one of the netball squad members withdrew because of a family military connection.
