Mataiasi Stark 
The Ruby North Series in Townsville is shaping up to be a vital development platform for Fiji’s Baby Pearls as they gear up for the Netball Youth World Cup in September.
The young squad, made up mostly of locally based athletes, will face high-level competition designed to expose them to the intensity and pace of international netball.
Head coach Simone Nalatu says the team has proven they can match top-tier opponents, but the next challenge is maintaining that standard throughout an entire match.
“This tour is really about providing exposure to our locally based athletes. What we saw in the Cook Islands and when Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore came last year is that our athletes are more than capable of matching it with them — but it’s their ability to sustain that across a full match.”
The Baby Pearls will test their development against top sides in Townsville, with Nalatu adding that the goal is to build match endurance.
The Ruby North Series will be held on the 23rd to the 28th of this month.
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