NSW Swifts show top form ahead of Super Netball with victory over England
THEY are the team touted as the most likely to cause an upset at the Commonwealth Games but the NSW Swifts have beaten England in a major upset.
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THEY are the team touted as the most likely to cause an upset at the Commonwealth Games but the NSW Swifts have beaten England in a major upset.
The Swifts downed the England Roses 66-45 yesterday in the first of two practice matches the international side is playing in Sydney this weekend.
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It was an unexpected result for England who are the fastest improving team in world netball after recent victories against world No.2 New Zealand and close calls against reigning world champions Australia.
But Swifts captain Abbey McCulloch said the result wasn’t a total surprise to her.
“If you’d seen how hard we have been going at it in training no one would be surprised,” she said. “I though we took it to them from the get-go and took them by surprise. I don’t think they were expecting this.”
Aiding the Swifts cause was shooter Helen Housby being able to stay with the NSW lineups for the match.
Housby is one of England’s top shooters and key to their success at the upcoming Games.
In Saturday’s match the Swifts came from 18-20 down at the first break to take a 34-26 lead into halftime.
The Swifts then restricted England to just seven goals in the third before taking the match by 21.
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McCulloch said the result is a testament to how hard the Swifts have been training in the offseason and the coaching of new mentor Briony Akle and the confidence she has instilled in the side.
The Swifts open the Super Netball season as part of a double-header at Qudos Bank arena on April 29 with the Queensland Firebirds their first opponent of the season.
Round three on May 13 will see the local derby played between the NSW Swifts and Giants at Qudos Bank Arena.
Super Netball has been delayed until after the Commonwealth Games where Australia is favourite to claim gold.
Australia has three Commonwealth Games crowns and go into the Gold Coast event as defending champions. New Zealand have won two Games crowns.
No other country has beaten these two netball nations in the Commonwealth Games arena.
Australian has been drawn in the same pool as Jamaica, South Africa, Barbados, Fiji and Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast with New Zealand drawn against England, Malawi, Wales, Scotland and Uganda for the preliminary rounds.