Pacific netball

Funded through the Australian government's PacificAus Sports programme, money will be allocated to employ key high performance staff in Samoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Tonga, while the Pacific nations will also be supported in their efforts to qualify and prepare for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 Netball World Cup.

Netball Australia interim CEO Ron Steiner said he was delighted the organisation could continue to lead the charge in helping to develop netball in the Pacific.

Marama Vou is made up of five players from Fiji and three from Samoa, with local players in New Zealand filling the remaining numbers.

The composite team led 14-12 after the first quarter but were unable to maintain their momentum and trailed by six goals at half-time, 14 after three quarters and 20 at the final whistle.

Coach Vicki Wilson was pleased with her team's performance, despite only a couple of days preparation but admitted their lack of match-fitness was exposed as the game wore on.

Fiji beat the Cook Islands in the Oceania qualifying final and finished undefeated over four days.

Cook Islands coach John Glassie believes the tournament, which also featured Papua New Guinea and Tonga, reflected well on netball in the Pacific.

"When you look at these Pacific nations, often people think that the standard isn't quite high but when you look at the intensity they bring to the game they're not full-time athletes like you see in developing countries but as far as the standard goes with gameplay and stuff they're so strong," he said.

The programme, delivered over five years, is aimed at encouraging increased sports participation and improving health outcomes in young people throughout the region, specifically Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands.

NNZ CEO Jennie Wyllie says they are committed to supporting Netball in Oceania and this programme will enable NNZ to provide long-term and consistent support.

“For a number of years NNZ has been committed to supporting and providing development to Netball in Oceania,” Wyllie said.