Sport

Early start for trans-Tasman netball competition

17:30 pm on 2 September 2014

The 2015 season begins on February 28 in Adelaide when 2012 champions Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic play the 2013 champions the Thunderbirds.

The Wellington based Pulse are also away in their opening match playing the reigning champions the Vixens in Melbourne on March 1st.

The Southern Steel host the New South Wales Swifts on the same day while the Canterbury Tactix host the Northern Mystics.

The Canterbury Tactix will play two of their home games in Blenheim, against the Perth based Fever on April 12th and the Queensland Firebirds on May 25th.

The Northern Mystics are scheduled to play the defending champion Melbourne Vixens team in the last match of the regular season on June 1st in Auckland.

The final series format is still up in the air, but ANZ Championship general manager Andy Crook expects a decision by the end of September on the introduction of a proposed new model.

The World Cup begins in Sydney on August 7th.