The Fijian Pearls aim to top Pool D at the Netball World Cup, which starts in Sydney, Australia, this Friday.

Fiji is 7th in the world and will play 8th-ranked Wales on Friday at 11.50am in the opening match , Uganda (14th ) at 1.20pm on Saturday and Zambia (18th ) on Sunday at 5.20pm.

“We are expecting Wales to be very tough,” coach Kate Carpenter said at Nadi International Airport yesterday.

“We’ve played Wales twice at the 2011 NWC in Singapore winning our pool match 48-38 and  losing the 9th/10th playoff.

Wales a good side and are in Tasmania already playing good build up matches. They had nice build-up in the European Championship and the Commonwealth Games last year.”

“Uganda and Zambia have not been in the NWC for number of years except South Africa and Malawi who plays outside the window a lot.”

Carpenter said the objective was winning the pool matches.

“We will be able to make an assessment of our opponents once we see them plan. Our focus is to win our pool in the top eight. Our preparation at the Pacific Games and the match against the Silver Ferns has geared us to play well in the four-yearly event.

“We’ve a balanced side having four players in each sector. It is important to have a range of athletes on the bench to come and make an impact.”

The side boasts seven players having played in the NWC including Mere Rabuka-Neiliko and Matila Waqanidrola who will both be competing in their fourth appearances.

Pool A: Australia, New Zealand, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago;

Pool B: England, Jamaica, Scotland and Samoa;

Pool C: Malawi, South Africa, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

Pool D: Fiji, Wales, Zambia and Uganda.

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