Netball: National league confirmed

Netball New Zealand [NNZ] has confirmed details for next year's inaugural national league.

As reported in the Otago Daily Times last month, the league will feature one team from each of the five zones - South, Mainland, Central, Waikato-Bay of Plenty and Northern - and run in conjunction with the ANZ Championship.

It will replace the week-long national championships, most recently held in Wellington at the start of last month, with teams playing a double round robin.

Fourteen matches will be played and televised live on Sky Sport after ANZ Championship games, and there will also be seven stand-alone games.

The league is being introduced to increase player depth and quality in the country.

''The National Netball League was a key outcome of our competition review,'' NNZ chief executive Hilary Poole said in a statement.

''It will provide the future stars of New Zealand netball with an opportunity to experience and test themselves in a high-level competition week-in, week-out.''

The schedule has not yet been released, but the league will start on April 10 and wrap up with the top two teams contesting the final in Auckland on June 26.

NNZ also confirmed details for next year's national under-19, under-17 and secondary school championships.

The under-19 championships will be held in Nelson from July 11-14, the under-17 championships in Rangiora from July 18-21, and the secondary school championships in Wellington from October 4-7.

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