The Netball World Cup is around the corner and the big teams will be looking to continue their dominance in the competition.
However, some teams will be hoping to improve and gain more knowledge and skill as they take to the court.
There may be some favourites in the different pools but the underdogs are also looking to make a name for themselves.
Pool D
New Zealand
The Silver Ferns have played in every World Cup tournament since it was established in 1963. They have won the competition five times, recently winning the 2019 edition held in Liverpool, England when they beat arch-rivals Australia in the final. New Zealand have never finished outside of the top three, their worst finish is third, and have done so only twice.
The Silver Ferns will be hoping to successfully defend their title and take their number of gold medals to six.
Coach: Noeline Taurua
Noeline Taurua’s spell at national level coaching started in 2011 when she became the unofficial assistant coach of the Silver Ferns. She was later officially appointed in the position only for her to call time on her coaching duties in 2013 from the Ferns after one and a half seasons.
When she returned, she was named the head coach of the team in August 2018. And since then, the Silver Ferns have won the 2018 Fast5 Netball World Series and the 2019 edition of the Netball World Cup in Liverpool. Her side also won the bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Uganda
Uganda will be taking part in only their fourth Netball World Cup tournament, having made their debut at the 1979 edition held in Trinidad and Tobago, they also played in Australia and England. The eighth-ranked nation will be hoping to better their finish from the last edition where they finished in seventh place, which is their highest-ever finish. Their worst was 12th position in their debut appearance.
Coach: Fred Mugerwa
Fred Mugerwa missed the 2015 edition of the competition by a whisker after he was sacked with just under three weeks to go but he will be leading the She Cranes at their fourth World Cup in Cape Town. He led his side to an impressive showing at the 2022 Commonwealth Games where Uganda claimed the fifth overall spot after defeating South Africa. Mugwera will be looking to better their finish from four years ago where they ended seventh in Liverpool, England.
Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad & Tobago have only missed one edition of the Netball World Cup, the 1991 edition held in Sydney, Australia. In the early years of the competition, the Calypso Girls were one of the strong countries in the sport and they are also the only other team, outside of Australia and New Zealand, to win the competition.
They have not earned a podium finish since their joint second place in 1987. They will be looking to better their finish from ninth in the last edition.
Coach: Joel Young-Strong
Joel Young-Strong was named as the interim coach for the Calypso Girls in December following the Trinidad and Tobago Netball Association letting go of Kemba Duncan in November. Young-Strong is a retired former international umpire but she has also coached the national Under-23 side in an interim position for the Central American and Caribbean tournament which was scheduled for El Salvador last year.
Singapore
Singapore have competed at seven Netball World Cup tournaments. They come into the 2023 edition as the lowest-ranked country at number 28.
The Asian side have won two Nations Cup titles in 2005 and 2006. They also won the 2005 edition of the Asian Netball Championships.
Coach: Annette Bishop
Annette Bishop had been part of Netball Singapore since 2015 while working as an assistant coach and performance analyst. Three years ago, she was named the head coach, and her first major international competition was the 2022 Asian Netball Championships.
She will be hoping to better the team’s performance in Cape Town after they finished 16th in the last edition of the competition.