After a two-year wait, the inaugural NZ Police Netball NZ Open Champs has become a reality with the new-look tournament launched in Palmerston North on Tuesday (September 6).
Replacing the former Netball NZ U19 and U17 national events, the Open Champs were set to be unveiled in 2020 but due to the on-going effects of Covid-19, never got off the ground following their enforced cancellation over the past two years.
The Open Champs, where teams compete for the New Zealand Cup, have been an integral part of the Netball NZ calendar since 1926, and were last played in 2015 when Wellington were the winners.
“We are very excited for all the teams and associated personnel that the Netball NZ Open Champs is set to finally get underway after the disappointments of the last two years,” Netball NZ CEO Jennie Wyllie said.
“It’s really heartening that these players are now getting their opportunity as our domestic events are a really important step in the high-performance pathway, and a breeding ground for future representatives for the Synergy Hair Netball League and the ANZ Premiership.”
With 20 teams entered, four pools of five teams will contest their respective pools from Tuesday to Thursday with post-pool play taking place on Thursday afternoon/evening and Friday ahead of final play-off matches on Saturday. The Open Champs Grand Final will be played at 1pm on Saturday (September 10).
Games will consist of four 12-minute quarters with winners collecting four points, two being allocated for a draw and one for a loss of three goals or less.
There is a mix of up-and-coming talent combined with a more experienced core across many of the teams. There are plenty of familiar names who have ANZ Premiership experience, including Amorangi Malesala and Samon Nathan (Auckland), Oceane Maihi and Simmon Willbore (Cambridge), Jess Allan and Hannah Glen (Christchurch), Ivana Rowland and Amelia Walmsley (Counties Manukau), Courtney Elliott, Monica Falkner, Georgia Tong and Ali Wilshier (Hamilton City), Abby Erwood, Kate Hartley and Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit (Invercargill), Fa’amu Ioane and Michaela Sokolich-Beatson (North Harbour) and Erena Mikaere and Hayley Saunders (Tauranga).