Tifaimoana Samoa will assess eligible players at trials in New Zealand and Australia in November as preparations continue for the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney, according to a Netball Samoa statement reported by Samoa Global News.
The Auckland trial is scheduled for 7 November 2026, followed by Sydney on 14 November. The overseas assessments extend the team’s player-identification process following the Samoa Netball Association Cup, held in Apia in October.
The confirmed dates give eligible players in the two overseas locations an opportunity to be assessed for Samoa’s developing squad. The report does not provide trial venues, registration arrangements or further eligibility requirements.
The announcement accompanies the appointment of Tia Winikerei as Tifaimoana Samoa’s head coach. Her responsibilities include technical preparation, player identification, squad development and performance planning for the World Cup campaign. She observed players competing at the Apia tournament as part of the initial assessment process.
Netball Samoa chief executive Justine Wilson-Ata said the appointment reflected the organisation’s commitment to identifying eligible talent and preparing a competitive squad for international competition. Winikerei said she had coached many Samoan players and had followed Tifaimoana through Oceania and overseas competitions.
Winikerei brings experience from New Zealand’s Northern Mystics, where she was appointed head coach ahead of the 2023 ANZ Premiership season. Before moving into elite coaching, she spent 16 years with New Zealand Police, reaching the rank of detective sergeant.
Samoa’s preparations also include the Singlife Nations Cup in Singapore in November 2026 and the PacificAus Netball Series in March 2027. Netball Samoa said those competitions would help assess performance and develop playing combinations. The Auckland and Sydney trials are the next confirmed overseas steps in identifying eligible players for that programme.