Welsh club Celtic Flames face a tough opening match in Sunday’s opening fixture against Pulse at the Super Club tournament in Nelson, New Zealand.
Pulse, full name Te Wananga o Raukawa Pulse, were runners-up to champions Southern Steel in the ANZ Premiership final this week.
The Flames players are already in Nelson preparing for the tournament, while Kiwi team Pulse travel to the host city on Saturday.
Pulse coach Yvette McCausland-Durie views the Super Club concept as the perfect way for the ANZ Premiership’s beaten finalists to put the seal on a season which has shown plenty of growth and promise for the future.
Netball New Zealand have been keen to introduce the initiative of a global Super Club event to complement the new domestic competition.
Eight teams, including the top three from the just-completed ANZ Premiership compete in the inaugural showpiece club event.
“It’s a great initiative and going to be a lot of fun, the inclusion of the international teams adding real value,’’ said McCausland-Durie.
The Pulse will be without rising young stars Tiana Metuarau, a 16-year-old who had a standout first season at elite level, plus training partners Kimiora Poi and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan to the New Zealand under-21 World Youth Cup team.
Their places will be taken by another trio of emerging talent in Jermaine Howard-Vallance, Eseta Autagavaia and Renee Savaiinaea from Central’s triumphant Beko Netball League winning team.
Pulse are expecting to have the services of mid court player Sheridan Bignall, who suffered an ankle injury in Wednesday’s 69-53 grand final defeat against Southern Steel.
Captain Wendy Frew and shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit were able to play in the final, recovering after being injured in a car accident just over two weeks ago.
Head Coach McCausland-Durie has 10 years experience with the NNZ High Performance Coach Pathway, while she guided New Zealand’s u-21 team to silver at World Youth Cup 2009 and was assistant coach to the team that won gold in 2005.
She was also appointed NZ Silver Ferns assistant coach in May 2016.
The Pulse coaching team includes Irene Van Dyk, who became the world’s most capped netballer in 2005, having made 72 international appearances for South Africa and 145 in the Silver Ferns team.
During 2010 Van Dyk became New Zealand’s most capped player and in 2011 she achieved the remarkable 200-Test mark.
Celtic Flames play their first Super Club match this Sunday, while they also take on Marama Vou and Sky City Mystics in their group.
The three group matches for Flames are this Sunday v Te Wananga o Raukawa Central Pulse (2pm local time, 3am BST); Monday, July 3 v Marama Vou (4.50pm local time, 5.50am BST); Wednesday, July 5 v SkyCity Mystics (6.40pm local time, 7.40am BST).