Silver Ferns rookie Tiana Metuarau must pass a fitness test to confirm her spot in the side to face Aotearoa Men in Wellington next week.
Coach Dame Noeline Taurua has named a squad made up of players that lost the Taini Jamison Trophy series against England last month, without vice-captain Sulu Fitzpatrick, who is back in Auckland COVID-19 lockdown.
But Metuarau, who starred in her debut against the Roses, is still trying to shake the adductor injury suffered during Game Two of that series and will be eased into the 'Battle of the Sexes' showdown.
By the third game against England, Fitzpatrick and captain Gina Crampton were also sidelined by injury. Midcourt Crampton appears to have recovered, but will also face a cautious build-up against the men.
"This is a unique series for us with Aotearoa Men bringing something different to the court," says Dame Noeline. "There were areas where we definitely saw improvement over the three tests with England, but it’s important that we also focus on the parts of the game that we couldn’t sustain against the Roses.
"Playing matches on three consecutive nights is another opportunity to test our athletes in an environment that is similar to what we will face at next year's Commonwealth Games. We need to ensure we make the most of our time on court against a quality opposition, as we look further ahead to next year and beyond."
In Fitzpatrick's absence, Taurua has retained development players Georgia Tong and Paris Lokotui - Tong made her Ferns debut in the final encounter against England.
Shooters: Jamie Hume, Tiana Metuarau, Grace Nweke, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Maia Wilson
Midcourters: Gina Crampton (c), Maddy Gordon, Kate Heffernan, Claire Kersten, Shannon Saunders, Peta Toeava, Sam Winders
Defenders: Karin Burger, Kelly Jury, Paris Lokotui, Georgia Tong
Join us at 7pm Sunday for live updates of the Silver Ferns v Aotearoa Men opener
