Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls gifted their country a bronze on Independence Day on Sunday when they defeated New Zealand 52-45 in the play-off for third place at the Netball World Cup in South Africa.
It was the first time that Jamaica was defeating New Zealand twice in the same global tournament relegating the Silver Ferns to their worst ever World Cup result.
Needing to rebound from the disappointment of losing 57-54 to Australia in the semi-finals, which denied them the chance to play for the gold medal, Jamaica took control of the match against the injury-riddled Ferns, who were among the favourites to win the tournament.
The defending champions had lost star shooter Grace Nweke to injury during the pool games and then were hit with an injury to Gina Crampton who was forced to leave the game with an ankle injury.
Jhaniele Fowler scored 43 goals at 98 per cent accuracy to help lead the Sunshine Girls while Shamera Sterling and Jodi-Ann Ward defended stoutly to ensure that the Sunshine Girls would have some consolation from the competition.
Ward said she is proud of the way her team rebounded from the loss to Australia on Saturday.
“We were very disappointed because obviously we wanted to be in the gold-medal match but we had to shake it off and came out here and we’re proud of the girls how they came out here and performed,” she said.
Ward added that the team simply wanted to play well to end the tournament on a high following Saturday’s let-down.
“We, as a unit, just wanted to execute because we didn’t do that very well yesterday (Saturday) so we just wanted to come out and execute as best as we could. Kudos to New Zealand they really put on a performance; they forced us to change a lot of things that we would normally do but I am extremely proud we came out with the win.”
Maia Wilson was the leading scorer for New Zealand with 19 goals.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
“They are fearless!”- Coaches Dalton Hinds, Nardia Hanson expecting good things from inexperienced Sunshine Girls at Fast5 Netball World Series in New Zealand
Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls will be aiming to bounce back from a fifth-place finish at last year’s edition of the Fast5 Netball World Series when they compete at this year’s edition from November 9-10 at the Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch, New Zealand.
They will be without a number of their top senior players in New Zealand as, not long after the Fast5 series, the reigning Commonwealth Games silver medallists will be taking on the England Roses in home and away Tests between November 16 and November 26.
They will first travel to England for two games at the AO Arena in Manchester on November 16 and 17 before hosting the Roses at the National Indoor Sports Centre in St. Andrew, Jamaica on November 25 and 26.
Dalton Hinds and Nardia Hanson have been tasked with coaching duties for the group heading to New Zealand.
On Friday, the governing body for the sport in Jamaica, Netball Jamaica, invited the media to the National Indoor Sports Centre for a media day showcasing the squad as they prepare for the tournament.
Hinds says the team’s preparation has been going well so far.
“Preparation is going well. They have tweaked some of the rules so we are trying to adapt to those as we go along,” he told Sportsmax.tv on Friday.
“The ladies are fit but they still need to get much fitter because the game is going to require that but I would say, in terms of the preparation, we are about 75 percent and, all things being equal, by time we leave here we should be at maximum fitness, game ready and tournament ready,” he added.
Hanson, who is set for her first assignment as a national coach, echoed some of Hinds’ sentiments.
“We’re getting the girls fit. They’re way better than where they were. I’m not seeing them making any errors in terms of the Fast5 rules so they’re adapting to that style of game,” she said.
While some may see the lack of experience in the squad as worrisome, Hansen sees it much differently.
“The fact that the girls are inexperienced, they are fearless. They are not expecting anything. They are just going to play netball. For them, it’s an opportunity and once it’s your first time, you’re going want to go out there and make a statement because, next time around, you’d want to be selected,” she said.
“It’s a lovely bunch. The girls want this and I’m expecting a good finish from the girls as long as we can keep them focused,” she added.
For Hinds, a successful tournament would see Jamaica at least finishing among the medals.
“A successful performance for us would be to win the championship but if we’re among the medals, we would love that,” he said.
The unique Fast5 rules – such as power plays and shortened quarters – bring an added level of excitement to the game.
The tournament format features a round-robin stage, where each team plays each other once. The top four teams will advance to the finals on the second day. The 1st-ranked team will face the 4th-placed team, while second will play third, with the winners progressing to the Grand Final. The remaining teams will contest third- and fifth-place playoffs.
Jamaica has a proud history in the Fast5 series, finishing as runners-up in 2009, 2017, and 2018, and securing third place in 2010 and 2013.
CONCACAF President to visit Jamaica next week
President of the governing body of football in the region, CONCACAF, Victor Montagliani, will be visiting Jamaica starting Wednesday October 16, 2024 for two days.
On his visit to Jamaica he will meet with the President of the Jamaica Football Federation, Michael Ricketts, the Prime Minister of Jamaica The Most Honorable Andrew Holness, and also the Minister of Sport, The Honorable Olivia Grange.
Montagliani will also watch some matches in the Jamaica Premier League.
“We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani to Jamaica. This is a momentous moment for us,” Ricketts said.
“The last time he was here was for the FIFA Football Summit in Montego Bay in 2018. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with CONCACAF,” he added.
Reggae Boyz defender Di'Shon Bernard credits Steve McClaren's influence for his development
Di'Shon Bernard, the 23-year-old Reggae Boyz defender, has praised the impact of new Jamaica head coach Steve McClaren, stating that the changes under McClaren are benefiting his development both at the international and club levels. Bernard, currently representing Jamaica in World Cup qualifiers, highlighted how McClaren’s progressive playing style aligns well with what his club manager, Danny Rohl, is implementing at Sheffield Wednesday.
Bernard explained how, in the past, the playing styles between his national team and Sheffield Wednesday had been starkly different. However, with McClaren's arrival in July, the shift toward a more possession-based, progressive game plan has made his transition between club and country smoother.
“We're doing a lot of build-up where before it was more long ball, going off seconds,” Bernard told The Yorkshire Post. “Now we're building up from the back, having the keeper take more responsibility on the ball. That's good for me because doing it here [at Sheffield Wednesday], it's easier to take it into the national team.”
McClaren’s approach is proving to be a positive influence for Bernard, who feels that this new playing style better suits Jamaica’s talent and allows for more technical football. “I think it's better football for us with the national team, with the players we have. With our quality, we just needed that guidance to play that football,” he added.
The former Manchester United player also spoke highly of McClaren’s coaching acumen, having worked briefly with him at Old Trafford. McClaren’s experience and leadership have already made a significant impact on the Reggae Boyz, despite only being in charge for two matches so far—a 0-0 draw with Cuba and a 2-1 win over Honduras.
“I worked with Steve for a little bit at Manchester United before I left; he's a quality coach and the staff he brought with him too. The standard of training's gone up, everyone's working hard because when there's a new manager you want to be in that team but it's a squad thing,” Bernard said.
As Jamaica looks to continue their World Cup qualifying campaign, Bernard’s development under both McClaren and Rohl is helping him grow into a more complete player. The alignment between Jamaica’s evolving style of play and Sheffield Wednesday’s tactical setup is allowing Bernard to perform confidently on both fronts, which bodes well for both his club and international future.
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