'Devastating' injury ends World Cup for NZ's Nweke

2 years ago 105

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Venue: Cape Town, South Africa Dates: 28 July to 6 August
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New Zealand's World Cup title defence suffered a setback as star shooter Grace Nweke was ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a knee injury.

Nweke, 21, was set for a breakthrough tournament and was in tears on the bench after sustaining the injury on Sunday.

But Silver Ferns head coach Noeline Taurua said it is not "a blow" to their hopes of retaining the title.

Reserve shooter Tiana Metuarau has been called up to replace Nweke.

Goal shooter Nweke, who has 24 caps and won the ANZ Premiership with Northern Mystics, limped off court in the third quarter of New Zealand's victory over Singapore.

"Unsurprisingly, [for] a 21-year-old, when things don't quite work out, it's devastating for her," Taurua said.

"She'll probably take at least four or five days to understand in herself and her thinking what the next steps are going to be.

"There's a lot of love in there, but also she knows, it's quite a delicate position because she knows she can't be crying all the time because the team needs her too. We are taking it one day at time."

A rule introduced for this tournament allows teams to take three reserves to the World Cup who can replace a team member should they get injured.

Metuarau made her World Cup debut in her side's 83-34 victory over Wales on Monday - her seventh cap for the Silver Ferns - but said she felt almost "guilty" for playing at the expense of her "good friend."

"t would be a disservice to fall down now and feel sorry for myself," said Metuarau.

"I know for her sake, I need to be able to stand on my own two feet, and not necessarily fill her shoes, but bring what I bring to the team."

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