Netball: Francois called into Ferns

Shannon Francois.
Shannon Francois.
There will not be much in the way of cake or wine during her 22nd birthday celebrations - just training and studying for her exams.

But newly named Silver Ferns midcourter Shannon Francois reckons Friday will be a memorable day all the same.

The Otago captain has been called into the Silver Ferns squad as a replacement for Grace Rasmussen, who has been ruled out of the Australian leg of the Quad series with an ankle injury.

Francois was still trying to digest the news when the Otago Daily Times contacted her yesterday.

"It is pretty crazy," she said.

"The last five days have been incredible."

Otago won its first national championship title in 14 years when it beat Waikato 59-57 in Tauranga on Friday.

Francois had not come down from that high when Silver Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu rang her with the news of her promotion to the national team.

"It is still very much sinking in. I'm still a bit overwhelmed really. It seems so unimaginable that it has actually happened. It is very exciting."

Francois, who has re-signed with the Steel for 2013, is a final-year pharmacy student at the University of Otago and will be taking her notes to Australia.

She will have to squeeze in study between training sessions and has a couple of examinations while she is away - one on the same day the Silver Ferns play England at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

"I've done it before, so it will be fine."

There is also that birthday party to look forward to and the prospect of getting on court for the Silver Ferns.

"I'd absolutely love to get some court time but just being in that environment will just be amazing. So I'm going to try and learn and take in as much as I can."

Taumaunu said it was disappointing not to have the services of Rasmussen for the Quad Series but it was "an exciting opportunity to expose another young New Zealand midcourter to the international stage".

"Grace has put in a lot of work to get back to full fitness (after recovery from ACL injury last year) and so to have another setback like this so close to the series is very disappointing for us all," Taumaunu said.

The Silver Ferns leave Auckland on Thursday before their first test of the Quad Series against South Africa in Adelaide on Thursday.

 


Silver Ferns
Squad

Irene van Dyk, Maria Tutaia, Cathrine Latu, Anna Thompson, Laura Langman, Shannon Francois , Bailey Mes, Kayla Cullen, Leana de Bruin, Katrina Grant, Anna Harrison, Casey Williams (captain).


 

 

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