KEY POINTS:
New Zealand netball captain Adine Wilson doesn't take too kindly to enforced inactivity, however brief.
The training camps and sheer hard graft of build-up training are over, and New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken's emphasis has shifted to fine tuning and sharpening up her 12-strong squad.
But rather than
enjoying the last few days of peace and quiet before the controlled bedlam of the world netball championship begins in Auckland on Saturday, all Wilson wants is to get out on court and play.
"Everyone has got to the point where we just want it to begin now. You can feel the intensity and nerves building. We are ready to roll," she said.
This will be Wilson's third world championship so she has vivid memories of the intensity of the week-long competition.
"The world championship is just another adrenaline rush altogether," she said.
"It's such a one-chance thing. You've got to perform every time, and if you don't, then you're out. And anybody can win on the day."
The pressure is on the Silver Ferns to retain the title they won in Jamaica four years ago.
Their build-up has been less than ideal, with a shock loss to England in May, and defeats by Australia in two of their last three tests in July.
But Wilson can even find positives from this series of indifferent results.
"We've improved greatly since our loss to England, where we didn't play to our potential and they played very well. I think we were lacking games on the Australian tour - it felt like we needed more time on the court, because the communication links weren't there.
"We've really needed that time together on the court to thrash out the combinations."
New Zealand have also struggled without key centre Temepara George after her shift to Australia earlier this year to be with partner Sione Faumuina in North Queensland. And George's replacement, livewire wing defence turned centre Laura Langman, is still in doubt after suffering a stress fracture in her left foot last month, though the outlook is positive.
Despite these uncertainties, Wilson said the squad's focus has been impressive over the last few months as they sought to replicate the pressures of world championship play in training.
"We have all sorts of different scenarios we play to - five goals down with five minutes to go, six goals up with three minutes to go, or one down with 30 seconds left, a sending off, an injury ....
"You can never really emulate the pressure and intensity and nerves of the real thing, though."
Although the Silver Ferns have won six of their last 12 matches against Australia since the Melbourne Commonwealth Games last year, Wilson is quite definite about who will be wearing the favourites tag over the next week.
"Australia have been playing exceptionally well, and we've had a huge change in personnel since the Commonwealth Games. I wouldn't think we'd be favourites."
She is equally certain of what attributes a team will need to win the world championship.
"It's a huge mental thing - when it comes down to particularly the last four teams, they're all of similar physical and skill ability," Wilson said.
The ability to play with confidence, to let the ball go at pace will be vital, she added, but there are also times when it's best to exercise patience and play risk-free netball.
"It's a very fine line - sports people talk about being in the flow, when things are just flying, and you're really confident and not holding back.
"That's where we need to be."
- NZPA
