The Fiji netball coach Julie Hoornweg says last months home Tri Series is already paying dividends before the start of the Pacific Series.
The Pearls hosted Papua New Guinea and Northern Ireland in Suva as part of their build-up to this week's series in Rarotonga, where Fiji will attempt to win a fifth straight Pacific crown and qualify for next year's World Cup.
Fiji went through the Tri Series undefeated and Julie Hoornweg says, having only been appointed to the job a few weeks prior, it was invaluable for both her and the players.
"Now looking back it was just vital to us. Putting a performance out on court, seeing how they reacted to some of the new strategies that we've been working on and then to see them be put under pressure, find our what our weaknesses were and that game that we played against Northern Ireland, that was a full-time draw, was just a wonderful experience. You can't buy that, you can't prepare for that at training - it can only happen out on the court - so it's all been fantastic so far".
Julie Hoornweg.
Fiji begin their Pacific Series defence against Cook Islands this afternoon, before Papua New Guinea take on Samoa.
