Southern Steel's Kate Heffernan has been named in the 12-strong Silver Ferns netball team that will compete at the 2023 World Cup in South Africa from 28 July - 6 August.

No stranger to playing at international level, Heffernan has represented New Zealand in both netball and cricket, however this will be the first time she has competed at a netball world cup.

Heffernan's Silver Ferns debut was at the Commonwealth Games in July 2022, where the team went on to win a bronze medal.

Kate Heffernan in action for Southern Steel. Photo: Michael Bradley Photography

Heffernan has also represented New Zealand in cricket, playing against the West Indies in a Twenty20 International in March 2018.

Heffernan comes from a top sporting family, with her twin sister Georgia also a current Southern Steel player, while her mother Annette represented New Zealand as a Silver Fern from 1985.

The Heffernan twins' Southern Steel coach, Reinga Bloxham, will also be making the journey to South Africa, where she will be a specialist coach for the Welsh Feathers, Wales’ national netball team.

This years Silver Ferns team will be captained by Magic's Ameliaranne Ekenasio and includes Karin Burger (Tactix), Gina Crampton (Stars), Maddy Gordon (Pulse), Kate Heffernan (Steel), Kelly Jury (Pulse), Phoenix Karaka (Mystics), Grace Nweke (Mystics), Te Paea Selby-Rickit (Tactix), Whitney Souness (Pulse), Jane Watson (Tactix) and Maia Wilson (Stars).

And for the first time, teams will be able to have travelling reserves.

This years reserves are Tiana Metuarau, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan and Sulu Fitzpatrick.

Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua said, with just 51 days until the first whistles are blown in Cape Town, she was pleased to finally be able to confirm her team and wanted to acknowledge the role of this year’s ANZ Premiership had on what had been a tough selection process.

“I think the ANZ Premiership has truly delivered this season and enabled myself and the selectors to see our athletes at their best and in all sorts of pressure-filled situations,” she said.

“It has been one of the closest competitions we’ve ever had, and of a high standard with some extremely tight results, which has provided a strong environment before we step onto netball’s biggest stage. I would like to thank all ANZ Premiership teams for the work they have done to help prepare the athletes and provide a fierce competition.”

Taurua said the condensed ANZ Premiership season, which included a number of doubleheader weekends for teams, had replicated the back-to-back nature of the Netball World Cup schedule which worked in the Silver Ferns favour.

“We have seen our athletes back up a number of times this season and in many cases backing up for some closely contested matches in extra time scenarios, which has provided the tests we had hoped they would face.”

The Silver Ferns and the three reserve players now come together for three training camps over the six weeks before heading to Cape Town on 21 July.

We have selected a couple of players who are specialists, however the majority offer positional versatility Taurua said, in what will be a demanding tournament style of netball which would see the Silver Ferns playing eight matches in ten days.

The midcourt trio of Souness, Gordon and Heffernan can all cover various roles as can the defensive quartet.

Nweke and Wilson have been the standout shooters during the ANZ Premiership as the most prolific and most accurate scorers respectively, the latter also showing her versatility having worn the black dress in the goal attack role previously.

“I’m excited with this group of athletes we have selected. We have stability with experience and players who have specific specialist skillsets. We have versatility with slide options. We have worked our depth over the past two years and provided on court opportunities. Youthful exuberance adds that exciting flavour. We go into these selections with our eyes wide open and with purpose,” Taurua said.

The Silver Ferns face Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, and Singapore in the group stages of the 2023 Netball World Cup with all matches, including the semifinal and final on 5 and 6 August respectively, live on Sky Sport.