New Zealand emerged primed for tougher games ahead after a 79-21 win over hosts Wales at the world youth netball championships in Cardiff yesterday.
It was the most challenging of the four straight wins the New Zealanders have notched, but an important workout with today's clash against England and the ensuing playoffs in mind.
The New Zealand-England clash is the final round-robin match and the pool decider which will determine seedings for the quarter-finals.
A confident England have made no secret of their intent to beat the New Zealanders.
New Zealand coach Georgina Salter said the English had paid a lot of money to improve their game.
"They have got a total new programme, a new structure, new people running the game.
"They've taken a punt. They want to do something good for the women in England and one way to do it is to show improvement, which they've done, and the next way is to beat one of the top teams."
Defending champions Australia and Jamaica will pair off in the other pool decider.
Salter was full of praise for New Zealand captain Adine Harper yesterday, with the goal-attack continuing to show the form that elevated her to the Silver Ferns last year.
There was also a special mention for 16-year-old defender Rachel Rasmussen, believed to be the youngest player at the tournament.
"She got some fabulous intercepts today and got in there and contested," Salter said of Rasmussen.
Harper was in a league of her own as a shooter.
She also showed her leadership when the team eased off after a superb first quarter when they raced out to a 29-3 lead.
"We started off so well the Welsh didn't even get to the ball, but in the following quarters there was an attitude of, like, 'we've done enough'," Salter said.
"The slowing-down meant Wales had a chance to contest and compete, which they did very well, but we weren't beaten in any phase of play.
"I was a little disappointed with the mental application but they [the team] were playing to the culture of the game really."
In their earlier matches, New Zealand beat Singapore (105-11), Scotland (71-17) and Sri Lanka (93-21).
In other games yesterday, Jamaica notched the highest score of the tournament with a 129-5 thumping of Canada, Australia beat South Africa 69-24, England accounted for Singapore 81-20 and Scotland got home over Sri Lanka 58-36.
- NZPA
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