14 Aug 2015

Sport: Fiji and Samoa netballers set up Pacific clash

11:00 am on 14 August 2015

Fiji and Samoa have set up a head to head clash at the Netball World Cup.

The Fiji Pearls beat Scotland 48-42 last night to make it four straight wins and finish top of qualifying Pool H.

Captain Mere Rabuka Neiliko was pleased with her team's fighting spirit.

"We knew that they were going to come out firing - like we said earlier, and yes it was physical but then we stood up to that occasion. Because our first aim was the first eight and then we didn't get to that goal so we swim back to saying we haven't finished off yet - got to finish on a high note".

Fiji players thank fans at the Netball World Cup in Sydney.

Fiji players thank fans at the Netball World Cup in Sydney. Photo: Netball World Cup 2015 SYDNEY

Meanwhile Samoa's two-game winning streak ended with a comprehensive 67-47 defeat by Trinidad and Tobago.

That means they finish second in Pool G and will take on neighbours Fiji for a spot in the ninth and tenth place playoff.

Mid-courter Hanalei Temese says they have plenty of work to do after the Trinidad game.

"They did really well to work their angles - having that aerial ball and that extra advantage of elevation, they really used that - so I think they really got the better of us in the air. They had a really strong wall on the front-line so we kind of thought to push it back and the front-line could reset. Yeah, it worked someof the time but I think we've got work on that a bit more as well".

Hanalei Temese feeds the ball into the shooting circle at the Netball World Cup.

Hanalei Temese feeds the ball into the shooting circle at the Netball World Cup. Photo: Netball World Cup 2015 SYDNEY

Meanwhile Jamaica confirmed their place in the tournament semi finals, joining New Zealand, Australia and England.