Welcome to semi-finals day of the netball world cup. The Silver Ferns and England have just entered Allphones Arena, Dana and I are in readiness for a big afternoon.
This will be the 14th NWC meeting between the sides. New Zealand lead head to head in NWC meetings with 12 wins and 1 loss.
The Silver Ferns walk on song is Six60 White Lines.
Interesting to see Housby starting at GA for England. This will be by far the biggest match of her career, and will have a huge challenge against the NZ defence line.
England have gone with Eboni Beckford-Chambers and Geva Mentor in the defensive circle to start with, but expect to see Sonia Mkoloma introduced at some point. As Maria Tutaia said last night - "she's back for a reason and it's not to play tiddly winks"
England has only beaten NZ four times in history, but one of those was just last year in Rotorua.
..and that Commonwealth Games semi-final still makes be break out in a cold sweat. 35-34 to NZ, with a (literally) last second goal to win it
Maria Tutaia firing in the shots from all over the circle in the warm-up. She is looking sharp.
Was chatting to fans from New Plymouth, Chch and Tauranga (represent!) earlier...their mood ranging from nervous to "quietly confident".
The umpires are Sharon Kelly and Rachael Ayre from Australia. Kelly has controlled NZ's last two games and was "complimentary" about the adjustment made by the NZ attack on the offensive contacts.
The sandwiches have arrived in the media centre. Hopefully someone will deliver Rikki and I some out here on the media bench.
Bibs on, last high fives, huddles. Lot of smiles in the NZ team - I'm not sure I've ever seen them in such a good mental head space.
@meepeaking: We'll check. (Sorry, I'm not a punter!)
New Zealand are $1.25 favourites, with England at $3.70
Here go the teams, Harten and Kopua the first out and the Ferns skipper gets an enormous roar.
As if reading the blog, one of the media minders has delivered sammies.
Jade Clarke will have the first centre pass for ENgland.
and held ball early against England.
Mes has the first for NZ and in it goes.
Jo Harten's first shot rolls out of the goal as she struggles with the lean of her Magic teammate Casey Kopua
Near perfect start for NZ, converted two turnovers and scored their own.
Harten gets England's first but it took a long ball in from defence, and now NZ turn it over.
The Rasmussen-Guthrie match-up is so critical, and Guthrie as put NZ's WA under some early pressure.
Another loose pass from NZ but Grant wins it back. Lots of errors at the moment. England ball.
Harten misses for what would have been the goal to tie it. NZ need to convert - and Mes comes up short.
Housby misses this time - seven goals, seven minutes. Tight start, a lot of missed opportunities.
Big long shot from Tutaia. The England defence has really done its homework boxing out on Mes and not allowing her into rebound position.
She's got the eye in early has Maria, another big bomber from distance.
But Mes fires an air ball. She hasn't quite settled yet.
Rejected! Kopua blocks the shot of Housby and NZ spin on to attack, finished by Tutaia.
Two exceptional defensive units going to work, everything is a challenge for both attacking lines.
More good luck and than good management, but the Ferns have got it down there - moving the ball around the circle for a handy buffer with less tan a minute to go in the quarter.
Call of the day from Rikki: "Geez you wouldn't want to catch your eye on Housby's shoulders - they're very pointy."
For those wanting a trip down memory lane from the Commonwealth Games semifinal, here was what was written at the time....
Let's go @SilverFernsNZ !!by Toni Street via twitter retweeted by SilverFernsNZ 8/15/2015 2:03:15 AM
