The defending champions of the Netball World Youth Cup (NWYC), New Zealand, got their NWYC2025 campaign underway yesterday as they took against the Cook Islands in Gibraltar.
The first two quarters were tighter than expected with the Cook Islands, battling hard and applying strong defensive pressure to New Zealand.
However, captained by ANZ Premiership 2025 top goal scorer Amelia Walmsley, New Zealand soon pulled away out of reach in the second half, and secured a comfortable 74-47 victory.
Speaking to World Netball about her teams stronger second half performance, Walmsley said: “I feel the energy lifted a little bit.
“Not that there are any excuses, but it was out first match, and it probably showed that it was our first match and their second in that first half.”
Having won the last two NWYC’s, Botswana 2017 and Scotland 2013, this young New Zealand side has the chance to become the first country to ever win the NWYC three times in a row.
Speaking on the additional pressures that brings, Walmsley said: “There is always going to be pressure being here, no matter what.
“We just want to do our families and our country proud.
“It is something that has never been done before, getting that three-peat, so yes, it is something that is in the back of our minds, but we are taking it game by game.
“That is the ultimate goal (winning the title), so there is always going to be a little more pressure on it.”
Don’t forget all matches will be available for free live and on demand on NetballPass throughout the competition, with the first six days also available on the Netball World Cup YouTube channel.