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Coach Francis wants to rock netball world
August 04, 2023
Two wins away from a first Netball World Cup title, national senior head coach Connie Francis says their success would be shaking the top order of the netball hierarchy, proving they belong with the best.
Jamaica took one step closer to that goal by beating reigning champions New Zealand 59-48 in their final Pool G game on Friday in Cape Town, South Africa.
Led by captain Jhaniele Fowler, who had a 100 per cent shooting performance with 49 goals, the Sunshine Girls defeated the Kiwis for the first time in the tournament's history, New Zealand's widest margin of defeat at the Netball World Cup.
Their reward is a semi-final date with Australia on Saturday at 9 a.m. Jamaica time. The world No. 1 Diamonds were beaten by England in their final pool game on Friday, also for the first time in tournament history.
For Francis, knowing that they would have to take on all members of the top three has fuelled her hunger for success, and that of the team.
"We have to show the world that netball is not just about Australia and New Zealand, it is about the rest of us. We are trying, and doing, our best to step forward. England and us are doing that, and there ain't no stopping us now.
"We are mindful of all the challenges ahead of us because this is new for us to beat New Zealand, but we are going to use it as a confidence booster to surge forward," Francis told STAR Sports.
What has pleased Francis is the team's synergy on and off the court and how they have fulfilled their roles when called upon.
"I think it's the rotation. The way we play our players, putting in fresh legs, they have been following instructions and believing in themselves and carrying that ball through.
"New Zealand played the strong through-court defence, and they have so much length and speed. It takes a lot of guts and character and thinking to really pull through to run decoys for them," Francis said.
As the tournament heads into the final weekend, Francis says that accountability has been the key to their success, and they are hoping that the result will be history-making.
"Our Sunshine Girls are just really on a path of doing something different this year, and I admire the will to go out there and ensure that we are not overly confident. They hold each other accountable for fixing mistakes on court, and there is not a lot. We applaud them for good and bad, but it is mostly good this time," Francis said.
