Southern Steel rookie Storm Purvis will lead the New Zealand under-21 team at a pre-World Youth Championship tournament in Australia next month.

The squad also includes her Steel team mate Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Southlander Stacey Peeters.Netball New Zealand announced a 12-strong NZU21 team that will represent New Zealand at an U21 tournament run by Netball Australia in Ballarat, Melbourne from August 20 to 30.

All players selected for these trials are eligible for the World Youth Championships in Glasgow, August 2013.

Other teams who are attending the tournament are Australia, England, South Africa and Samoa.

NZU21 coach Janine Southby was pleased with the overall standard of the trials held in Auckland over the weekend.

“I certainly feel as though the standard within the NZU21 squad has lifted over the last year,” Southby said.

“I am looking forward to working with a talented group of young players and know that the challenges they face in this up-coming tournament will really test them. This is a great opportunity for these players to push for selection into the final World Youth Championships team next year and gain valuable experience playing against a variety of international teams."

The NZU21 final squad for the World Youth Championships will be selected post Finals Week of the Lion Foundation Netball Champs in October.

NZ UNDER-21 SQUAD
Shooters: Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Gemma Hazeldine, Malia Paseka, Sophie Fenwick.

Midcourt: Nicola Mackle, Kirsten Hurley, Nadia Loveday, Stacey Peeters.

Defence: Storm Purvis (captain), Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick, Phoenix Karaka, Zoe Walker.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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