In light of their recent success in the PacificAus tournament earlier in March this year, the Tonga Netball team will be hoping to continue top performance in the Netball World Cup Pacific Qualifiers this week in Suva, Fiji.
Tonga was an unstoppable force in the PacificAus tournament, defeating all their opponents including Fiji and Samoa in unprecedented fashion.
The ladies from the friendly islands were simply unmatched as they dictated the plays and swiftly moved the ball around and made goals.
The President of the Oceania Netball, Wainikiti Bogidrau, was impressed by the Tonga Netball team, saying; “Tonga came out really strong and beat the traditional two, Samoa and Fiji in Australia. Tonga as we understand it, they’ve named a power-pack side so they’re coming to avenge the Ikale Tahi’s performance and I know that they are here and they mean business.”
As fierce Pacific competitors, Bogidrau hinted that Tonga will be out to avenge the men’s rugby team loss to the Flying Fijians in the recent Pacific Nations Cup.
Tonga will be playing Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Cook Islands in this Netball World Cup qualifiers tournament.
Tonga is coached by Jaqua Heddle and assisted by Briony Akle, who are both renowned in the Australia National Netball circuit.
The first match is scheduled for this afternoon when Fiji faces PNG at 5.30pm and Samoa takes on Tonga at 7.30pm at the Vodafone Arena in Suva.