The Fiji Pearls face a challenging pool in the upcoming Netball World Cup, set to take place in Cape Town, South Africa. They are grouped with Australia, Tonga, and Zimbabwe.
The 16 qualified teams were seeded based on their World Netball World Ranking as of November 3rd, 2022. The top 8 seeds were assigned to pools A to D, while the remaining two teams from each pool were drawn randomly in two stages.
In our pool, Australia holds the top spot in the Netball world ranking, followed by Tonga in seventh place and Zimbabwe in thirteenth. The Fiji Pearls, currently in nineteenth place, are determined to give their all and make a strong impression on their opponents.
The Fiji Pearls will kick off their Netball World Cup journey against Tonga Tala in July 28th at 7pm FT. The match will be played at Court 2 of the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Their second game will take place July 29th at 7 pm FT, where they will face Zimbabwe on Court 2. For their final pool game in July 30th at the 7 pm, the Fiji Pearls will go head-to-head against the Australian Diamonds at Court 1 of the Convention Centre.
The first match up will be a crucial one for the Pearls as they will be playing their Pacific rival Tonga, the two teams have met six times in all their encounters since the PacificAUS Sports Series in Australia in March 2022.
The Tonga Tala have showcased their dominance in all previous encounters, displaying remarkable flair and execution from the Tala players, who predominantly plays at the Suncorp Super Netball championship in Australia, having experienced season-long campaign of high-level netball.
The Fiji Pearls have been diligently enhancing their agility, fitness, endurance, and aerial game in preparation for the World Cup. Their primary objective is to counter the Tala’s gameplay with their strategic approach to match up the Tongan side.
Zimbabwe brings a distinct style of netball to the competition, which often characterise African style of netball. Their play is known for its unique momentum, featuring a combination of chaotic and aggressive elements. Our Pearls will have to adapt to their strategy and maintain composure to counter the unorthodox style of play from Zimbabwe.
The Australian Diamonds will be hard to break, as the top-ranked team in the world, the Diamonds will bring their A-game, leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of victory. Fiji Pearls will need to remain composed and focused, understanding the intensity and skill level they will be up against.
