MGC water polo trio set to wear silver fern

Marlborough’s profile continues to grow on the national water polo scene.

In recent times, members of the Marlborough Water Polo club have become much more prominent nationally, either individually or as part of successful teams.

The latest players to make the grade nationally are a trio of dedicated Marlborough Girls’ College students.

Year 12 Koko Wong, 16, plus year 11s Poppy Clark, 16, and India Nathan, 15, will travel to Australia at the end of September to take part in the Australian State Championships, representing their country against the best the Aussies can offer.

Koko and Poppy are in the NZ under-18 team, who will compete in the under-17 section at the champs, India named as part of the Kiwi under-16 side who will play in the under-15 section.

Koko is the most experienced of the trio, having made the trip last year as part of the NZ under-16s. Poppy was a non-travelling reserve for that team.

It will be the first time in Kiwi colours for India, who plays centre forward, and she admits to some nervousness, but is “really looking forward” to her first trip abroad for water polo.

The week before the NZ side leaves for Australian a couple of the Aussie state sides will play in the NZ under-16 champs, so India says they will be able to get some idea of the standard they are likely to face across the ditch.

Koko, who is expecting to play against many of the girls she came up against in the under-16s last year, warns that it will be “very, very next level” in Australia, but also says having the NZ champs, which all three are attending, immediately prior, “will be brutal for both the Australian teams and us”.

Poppy, who plays in goal, is also feeling “very excited and nervous” about the challenges ahead, but says the NZ side is “quite close” as a group and she expects that to serve them well against the Aussies.

Marlborough players will be spread among other sides at the NZ under-16s. Koko, India and Libby Senior will play for Hutt, while Poppy and Lizzie Douthett will turn out for Tauranga.

Meanwhile, other Marlborough club members are making waves. Scott Keay suited up for the NZ Barbarians at the NZ under-21s earlier this month, with Hayley McCormick representing Otago in Christchurch.

Scott and Fynn Russell will also play in the NZ Men’s Age Group Premier League, to be staged in Auckland during September, a key selection pathway for the NZ under-18 and under-20 men’s squads heading to the Australia Cup.