Waterpolo: NZ hosts get rare chance to play against the best

Anna Sieprath, Captain of the New Zealand Womens' Water Polo team. Photo / Paul Estcourt

The New Zealand women's waterpolo team will have a rare taste of the big time in Christchurch next week, where they will compete in just their second World Cup event.

The Kiwi team, who earned entry in to the tournament only by virtue of being the hosts, find themselves in an elite field that includes the top four nations in the world, along with three other continental qualifiers. World champions, the US, are bringing their star captain, three-time Olympian and female water polo player of the decade, Brenda Villa.

It is the first time since 1988, when Christchurch also hosted the event, New Zealand have competed in a World Cup.

Having had limited opportunities at this level, the emphasis for the Kiwi team next week will be on gaining experience.

New Zealand coach Eelco Uri is not expecting miracles but he is hoping it will set them on the course for qualification for the World Championships in 2013 and the 2016 Olympics.

"We are focused on the World Champs in 2013, so it's a bigger picture story. To be able to compete with the best seven countries in the world is going to be really, really tough. But that's where we need to be in a few years time," said Uri, a two-time Olympian for the Netherlands.

Uri, who took the helm of the New Zealand side earlier this year, said he is realistic about what to expect from the team in their first big campaign under his guidance.

"If we play at our best, I'm happy," he said.

"We started the programme 2 months ago, and to see the difference between then and now is huge. So if we can transfer that in to games, I'll be pleased. The result of course is important, but the way we play is more important."

New Zealand captain Anna Sieprath, who has been in the team since she was a schoolgirl at Auckland Diocesan, is thrilled her side have the chance to compete in a World Cup. But she admits it is a daunting challenge.

"There's a lot of pressure on us to perform well because we are at home, but people who understand waterpolo and have an idea of what is going on internationally will realise that the calibre of teams that are coming are really high standard," said Sieprath.

"We've got to play the best to be the best, so what better opportunity for us?"

Sieprath, who played for the title-winning Brisbane Barracudas in this year's Australian national league, is one of a number in the New Zealand team who have been forced to go overseas to gain top-level experience. Four played for Australian league teams this year, while a handful of young stars are on US College scholarships. Auckland's Emily Cox, who was based in Spain, is the only one to have played in Europe, although Carina Harache of the Harbour City club in Wellington will link up with an Italian team later this year.

With the players scattered around the globe, it can be difficult to develop a strong and consistent programme, but Sieprath said with limited opportunities to play here, it is a situation they are used to getting around.

"For us it's really good that people are playing waterpolo year-round. Yes, it's hard but at least we've all been playing waterpolo so when we do get back together we have at least had some waterpolo exposure and it's more a matter of coming together as a team and adjusting to a different game plan, rather than trying to brush up on skills because you haven't played waterpolo in eight months," she said.

Uri, who coached the British men's team before moving to New Zealand with his Kiwi wife Rebecca Jones, said his vision is to create a fulltime programme that will allow more players to be based at home. There are hurdles - both financial and logistical - that the sport will first need to overcome, but Uri is confident that if they can do so, then reaching an Olympics is not an impossible dream.

"If we can sort out our logistical issues - pool space and the like - and offer the younger ones a proper programme where they are in the pool once or twice a day, and we can get them travelling, I think we can do it.

"The talent is there, we are competitive with Australia through under-14s, under-16s, and even under-18s we are competitive, but then the girls leave school and find a job and have different priorities. So it's a culture we need to establish."

The top four teams competing in the World Cup will qualify for the World Championships in Shanghai next year.

FINA Women's Waterpolo World Cup:
* August 17-22
* QEII Sports and Leisure Centre, Christchurch
* Competing teams: USA, Canada, Russia, Greece, China, Australia, Hungary, New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND TEAM
Anna Sieprath (c), Marist Auckland
Lauren Sieprath, Marist Auckland
Danielle Lewis, Marist Auckland
Emily Cox, Marist Auckland
Lynlee Smith, North Harbour Auckland
Dana Harvey, North Harbour Auckland
Sian Els Te Whui, Harbour City Wellington
Carina Harache, Harbour City Wellington
Isabella Morrison, Harbour City Wellington
Emma Stoneman, Harbour City Wellington
Kirsten Hudson, Hutt Wellington
Casie Bowry, QEII Christchurch
Alexandra Boyd, QEII Christchurch
Coach: Eelco Uri