Cardiff will also welcome Fiji’s national netball team the Fijian Pearls to Wales for the very first time.  Fiji are currently 7th in the world, and will be playing world ranking games against each of the European countries.

Wales, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Fiji are amongst the twelve teams from around the world who have qualified for the next Commonwealth Games.  The Commonwealth Games netball pools and match schedule was determined earlier this week, with Wales being drawn into Pool B and will face New Zealand, England, Scotland, Malawi and Uganda next April.

The Netball Europe Championships in Cardiff will be a key opportunity for the four teams to put their training and preparations on display ahead of the world stage at the Gold Coast, Australia.

“The Open Championships in October will be an opportunity for the Wales squad to prepare for their performance at the Commonwealth Games,” says Welsh Netball’s Head of Performance Rosie Pretorius, “it will be of great advantage to us to play England and Scotland at home who we will face again next April in Pool B.”

It has been an exciting year for Welsh Netball as Wales hosted New Zealand famous netball team, the Silver Ferns at a historic test series in February this year.  The Swansea University International Test Series saw an unprecedented attendance as 5,300 people came to watch world class netball at the Ice Arena Wales.

Head of Performance Rosie Pretorius believes that the popularity of the test series against the second-best team in the world was evidence there is a hunger for more world class netball in Wales.

“It’s a very exciting time for netball in Wales as our historic test series against the Silver Ferns earlier this year drew attention from all over the country, which shows how there’s a real interest and hunger for more elite netball to be held in Wales.”

Tickets for the Open Championships will be released soon via www.ticketline.co.uk  Limited tickets are on offer and the long weekend of netball is expected to sell out fast.  Keep up to date with ticket release and new updates from the Wales camp via Welsh Netball’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Welsh Netball are looking for volunteers to assist during the event, including team hostesses, ball girls and boys and event stewards.  If you’d like to be part of the excitement and contribute to its success, head to www.welshnetball.com for details of all the volunteering opportunities available.

Wales Long Squad:

Suzy Drane

Lateisha Kidner

Kelly Morgan

Nia Jones

Clare Jones

Bethan Dyke

Kyra Jones

Chloe James

Lydia Hitchings

Leila Thomas

Sarah Llewelyn

Amanda Varey

Megan Powell

Sara Bell

Chelsea Lewis

Georgia Rowe

Eleanor Roberts

Cara Lea Moseley

Emily Holland

Cathy Bastian

Fern Davies

Wales squad management team:
Head Coach: Trish Wilcox
Assistant Coach: Mel Tuckwell
Team Manager: Donna Crossman

Wales match schedule, Commonwealth Games 2018. Note, match times are local Queensland times:
Day 2, Friday 6.4.18 @ 13.00: Wales v New Zealand

Day 3, Saturday 7.4.18 @ 18.30: Scotland v Wales

Day 5, Monday 9.4.18 @ 13.00: England v Wales

Day 6 Tuesday 10.4.18 @ 20.30: Wales v Uganda

Day 7 Wednesday 11.4.18 @ 19.00: Malawi v Wales

Report courtesy of Welsh Netball

The partnership will allow Wales and Celtic Dragons athletes to benefit from expert services in foot health and sports medicine bracing ahead of months of vigorous pre-season training for the prestigious Netball Superleague and the Commonwealth Games, 2018.

Catherine Marin, Commercial and Operations Manager at the Celtic Dragons franchise, said: “Our athletes train hard during pre-season from September and throughout the Superleague season from February to July, so it’s essential that we take care of their bodies to enable them to perform at their very best. As the only Welsh franchise in the Superleague, partnering with Cardiff based brands is hugely important in proving that local support exists for our elite athletes.”

Welsh Netball Chief Executive, Sarah Jones, added: “We’re really pleased to be working in partnership with two such professional organisations that have established a great reputation and work with world class athletes. Welsh Netball and Celtic Dragons are driving towards raising the profile and professionalism of the sport and a partnership with Ace and Orthotix is testament to that. Our teams will be fully prepared for Gold Coast 2018 and to the new Celtic Dragons season ahead.”

Already working with sports organisation such as the Welsh Rugby Union, Cardiff City FC and Welsh Athletics, both Ace and Orthotix recognised the opportunity to broaden their impressive portfolio with the inclusion of an elite Welsh women’s team.

Paul & Tom Cooper, Directors of Ace & Orthotix said: “With netball becoming a real spectator sport due to the exciting, fast and skilful nature of the game it was an obvious arena for our businesses to enter. Being proud Welshmen we are both thrilled to be able to support elite female athletes in Wales as they excel in their chosen sports.”

Ace specialise in the treatment of lower limb injury by utilising pressure plate technology and biomechanical gait assessment, as well as general podiatry. Uniquely Ace manufacture their orthotic insoles in-house and are able to offer same day issue at their Cardiff facility.

Orthotix are the leading Welsh manufacturer and distributor of sports bracing and orthopaedic supports, supplying the NHS and direct to public across the UK.

Ace Feet in Motion and Orthotix are family owned businesses based in Cardiff and work closely with sportsmen and women of all abilities as well as the general public. Both businesses have gained support throughout the sports industry through affiliation with the likes of British Lion rugby star Rhys Webb, Paralympian Aled Davies, Welsh Pole Vaulter Sally Peake and the reigning IBF World Boxing champion Lee Selby.

Lead photo shows left to right: Welsh Netball Head of Performance – Rosie Pretorius, Celtic Dragons Commercial and Operations Manager – Catherine Marin, Welsh Netball CEO – Sarah Jones, Wales international star – Nia Jones, Celtic Dragons and Wales star – Fern Davies, Orthotix Business Development – Hayley Huntley, Orthotix – Tom Cooper, Orthotix Executive Director/ Ace Feet in Motion General Manager- Paul Cooper

Report courtesy of  Welsh Netball

Celtic Flames Chelsea Lewis shoots for goal (Photo: Michael Bradley Photography)

The Celtic Flames were formed just weeks prior to the brand new global Super Club competition and claimed victory over the teams from Fiji, South Africa and Trinidad and Tobago.

Comprised of mostly Wales and Celtic Dragons stars, the Welsh based Celtic Flames beat the Gauteng Jaguars – the South African netball premier league 2017 champions.  The Flames also dominated their match against Fiji’s Marama Vou team, which consists of several Fijian international players, who are currently 7^th to Wales’ 8^th in the international netball rankings.

Celtic Flames v Mystics Tem Fakahokotau jumps to block (Photo: Michael Bradley Photography)

Each Super Club team also enjoyed an allocated Community Day during the competition.  The Celtic Flames athletes met young netball fans from the Nelson community whilst visiting one of the area’s most scenic spots at Abel Tasman National Park.

The Wales international players will benefit hugely from the exposure to international competition as they prepare for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, April 2018.  Welsh Netball CEO Sarah Jones said the 5^th placing is a great benchmark for the Wales players involved, and will assist with preparations for their Gold Coast 2018 campaign.

“This was a fantastic opportunity and the squad embraced every moment of it.  They not only learned and improved but also came home with three wins out of five.

Celtic Flames v Marama Vou Captain Suzy Drane passes to team mate (Photo: Michael Bradley Photography)

“This was a brave move to put these players in to a global environment, with daily Sky broadcasting, competing with some of the world’s best. This was about learning and growing and everyone present has done that over the last ten days.

“Huge congratulations to Head Coach Trish Wilcox and the team for a successful week, and big thanks and congratulations to Nelson and Netball New Zealand for a successful inaugural Super Club.

“We’d also like to thank Sport Wales for their support, and to all the players’ sponsors who were behind our athletes every step of the way,” said Sarah Jones.

Celtic Flames final scores:

Te Wananga o Raukawa Pulse v Celtic Flames: 65-41
Celtic Flames v Marama Vou: 68-41
SKYCITY Mystics v Celtic Flames: 66-43
Celtic Flames v Gauteng Jaguars: 57-45
Celtic Flames v University of Trinidad & Tobago: 62-47

Celtic Flames players:

Suzy Drane (supported by MSG Tours), Bethan Dyke (supported by Torfaen Leisure Trust), Clare Jones (supported by TPHS Limited), Kyra Jones (supported by Glamorgan Telecom), Nia Jones (supported by Chester Chain), Chelsea Lewis (supported by Islwyn Pugh Construction/GW Flooring Contract Services), Kelly Morgan (supported by Andy Lamb Media), Lois Rideout (supported by Balance Fitness), Eleanor Roberts (supported by Fostering Matters), and Georgia Rowe (supported by Miller Medical Supplies).   Anna Thompson and Temalisi Fakahokotau also joined the Flames line-up directly from their ANZ season with the Silvermoon Tactix.

Celtic Flames Management:

Trish Wilcox (supported by Pro Steel Engineering), Mel Tuckwell (supported by USW), Donna Crossman (supported by Falconry Services Ltd.).

The following players also received the honour of Most Valued Player, who each received a specially designed ring by Jens Hansen Jewellery:

Chelsea Lewis
Kyra Jones
Temalisi Fakahokotau

Lead Photo shows Celtic Flames v Mystics Kyra Jones

Report courtesy of Welsh Netball

The Super Club team from Wales, whose name title has not yet been announced, will join teams from Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania.  These teams will join the top three clubs from the ANZ Premiership for the Super Club event which will be held at the 1662-seat capacity Trafalgar Centre, July 2-7, 2017.  The Super Club event will therefore be made up of 8 teams, and will be broadcast internationally on Sky Sports 4.

Welsh Netball’s Chief Executive Sarah Jones says: “This is very exciting for Netball here in Wales, being the only team from the northern hemisphere to be invited to participate in this brand new global club competition.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for us to expose our players to world class international netball.  Our super club athletes and management will gain invaluable experience and bring the knowledge back to Wales.

“What better way to grow the game and inspire success at home than to demonstrate how Netball is on the rise across the world, and that Wales is very much part of the changing landscape.

“It is another exciting venture for us at Welsh Netball in what has already been a huge year in terms of pushing the boundaries of the sport here in Wales.

“This is also an opportunity for us to strengthen our relationship with Netball New Zealand, which we began building in February when Cardiff hosted the Silver Ferns for the first time in two decades, at the Swansea University International Test Series: Wales v Silver Ferns.”

Super Club, a global Club competition for Netball – will consist of 20 matches over a period of 5 days, with one day set aside for the teams to engage with the local community.  Details on the Super Club team’s name and squad members will be announced shortly.

Netball NZ Chief Executive Jennie Wyllie said the event was brought to life after the split between New Zealand and Australia’s trans-Tasman competition, and the ambition is to allow a deeper pool of players to experience international netball.

Report courtesy of Welsh Netball