AFTER competing at the Commonwealth Games last year the Fiji Pearls will be back in action in a three-Test series against Singapore.
With a few months left before the Netball World Cup in Liverpool, England, the girls are taking on the challenge against Singapore as they prepare for the 15th staging of the premier competition in international netball.
According to the Radio New Zealand website, five of the 12-strong squad will be making their international debut for the Pearls in this tour.
Head coach Vicki Wilson said she was looking forward to seeing her players out on the court for the first time in 2019.
“It’s great to be able to play this Test series against Singapore. It’s been a long time since we played a Test match and it’s a very new group,” Wilson said.
“There will be lots of players making their debut for the Pearls and they’re very young — we’ve got a 16-year-old Grace Korovatu, who’s from country New South Wales and another player who is 17 from Suva so they’re two of the youngsters who will be stepping out on court for the Pearls for the first time so a huge step for them.
“Well it’s been 12 months since we stepped out on court, so it was this time last year for the Commonwealth Games and World Cup qualifiers,” said Wilson, who’s been in charge of the Pearls since 2016.
“To be able to have a new group out on court it’s really important that we just keep building with every game. We have four games here — three Test matches against Singapore and we’re also playing their U21 on Friday night. Then once we get to the Arafura Games in Darwin next week we will also play six games there so very important match play.”
Former Australian captain Wilson said the goal was to learn a little bit each day.
The Fiji Pearls will also be involved in a quad series against the Silver Ferns, New Zealand Men’s team and an All Star selection in June before flying out to England for the Netball World Cup which will be held from July 12-21 at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England.
