From April 23 to 29, Netball Australia’s PacificAus Sports Netball Series was held for the third time. The series was hosted by Netball Australia, and funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). It was held at the Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre, Carrara. For the first time, three African teams joined countries from Asia and Oceania, meaning eight nations competed.
Matches were shown on different networks throughout Oceania and live-streamed for free on Netball Australia TV.
The competing teams and their world rankings:
POOL A:
MALAWI (6)
SAMOA (18)
FIJI (19)
PAPUA NEW GUINEA (39)
POOL B:
TONGA (7)
ZAMBIA (16)
SINGAPORE (27)
KENYA (35)
POOL A TEAMS:
POOL B TEAMS:
OPENING CEREMONY – 6:30pm SUN, APR 23
DRAW (All times AEST)
ROUND 1 – MON, APR 24
ZAMBIA 49 def KENYA 45 (Pool B)
(16-6, 23-23, 36-34, 49-45)
SAMOA 66 def PAPUA NEW GUINEA 48 (Pool A)
(21-10, 39-21, 49-38, 66-48)
TONGA 85 def SINGAPORE 40 (Pool B)
(20-12, 43-23, 66-34, 85-40)
MALAWI 54 def FIJI 47 (Pool A)
(14-12, 27-20, 43-31, 54-47)
ROUND 2 – TUE, APR 25
ZAMBIA 61 def SINGAPORE 44 (Pool B)
(12-13, 32-21, 50-31, 61-44)
MALAWI 64 def PAPUA NEW GUINEA 49 (Pool A)
(20-9, 35-22, 51-33, 64-49)
TONGA 71 def KENYA 44 (Pool B)
(16-12, 34-22, 52-34, 71-44)
SAMOA 64 def FIJI 55 (Pool A)
(15-13, 33-28, 48-41, 64-55)
ROUND 3 – WED, APR 26
KENYA 52 def SINGAPORE 51 (Pool B)
(14-9, 24-22, 39-38, 52-51)
FIJI 66 def PAPUA NEW GUINEA 49 (Pool A)
(20-10, 36-21, 51-38, 66-49)
MALAWI 57 def SAMOA 39 (Pool A)
(15-11, 31-21, 44-31, 57-39)
TONGA 59 def ZAMBIA 47 (Pool B)
(18-8, 31-24, 44-35, 59-47)
ROUND 4 – THU, APR 27
KENYA 61 def PAPUA NEW GUINEA 40
(16-13, 32-25, 48-31, 61-40)
FIJI 65 def SINGAPORE 53
(14-10, 31-22, 47-37, 65-53)
TONGA 79 def SAMOA 53
(23-10, 45-17, 66-30, 79-53)
ZAMBIA 50 def MALAWI 46
(14-12, 25-23, 35-37, 50-46)
Pool A
Malawi . 6pts. 119%
Fiji . 4pts . 106%
Samoa . 4pts . 93%
PNG . 0pts . 72%
Pool B
Tonga . 8pts . 160%
Zambia . 6pts . 107%
Kenya . 4pts . 96%
Singapore . 0pts . 71%
SEMI FINALS – FRI, APR 28
SF 4: SAMOA 74 def SINGAPORE 54
(21-11, 37-26, 58-41, 74-54)
SF 3: KENYA 63 def PAPUA NEW GUINEA 44
(19-11, 33-23, 50-36, 63-44)
SF 2: TONGA 68 def FIJI 52
(14-13, 33-27, 48-41, 68-52)
SF 1: MALAWI 48 def ZAMBIA 35
(10-10, 25-18, 35-28, 48-35)
FINALS – SAT, APR 29
7 v 8: SINGAPORE 56 def PAPUA NEW GUINEA 45
(16-11, 30-25, 42-37, 56-45)
5 v 6: SAMOA 59 def KENYA 51
(15-11, 35-19, 44-37, 59-51)
3 v 4: ZAMBIA 56 def FIJI 55
(14-20, 27-33, 42-46, 56-55)
FINAL: TONGA 54 def MALAWI 41
(12-11, 23-22, 39-32, 54-41)
Player of the Final: Uneeq Palavi (Tonga)
FINAL PLACINGS
1 – TONGA
2 – MALAWI
3 – ZAMBIA
4 – FIJI
5 – SAMOA
6 – KENYA
7 – SINGAPORE
8 – PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Joint Tournament MVPs: Abigail Latu-Meafou (Samoa) and Hulita Veve (Tonga)
