England confident of netball gold

England's netballers are confident of breaking their Commonwealth Games drought at Glasgow but others may need convincing judging by an apparent media snub.

Nothing will faze England in their bid to break a trans-Tasman grip on Commonwealth Games netball gold - not even an apparent media snub.

Third-ranked England are backing themselves to defeat world No.1 Australia and defending champions New Zealand at the Glasgow Games, but it seems the local press need more convincing.

England netballers outnumbered the two journalists who attended their pre-Games press conference.

Undaunted, the 12-strong England squad happily took turns singing and rapping loudly on microphones at the media table as the press conference was abandoned and one-on-ones quickly organised.

England trump card Geva Mentor reckons it sums up the spirit of a team that finally believes it can win Games gold.

Since netball's Games inception in 1998, England have claimed three bronze medals but never won a semi-final.

Australia and New Zealand have split the four gold medals to date.

Mentor said their 3-0 home series sweep of Australia in early 2013 had steeled them for the Games.

Before that whitewash, England had only beaten Australia twice in over 60 attempts.

"The hardest thing for England in the past has been belief," Mentor - at her fourth Games - told AAP.

"But we swept them last year.

"Yes, Australia will be concerned by New Zealand but I think they see us now.

However, Mentor - a member of the Melbourne Vixens' trans-Tasman championship-winning team - admitted much would hinge on their pool game with Australia on July 26.

"We have never beaten Australia or New Zealand in a major meet so if we can clear that hurdle it will give us so much confidence in the semis," she said.

"But personally after a great season and a huge high with the Vixens, I have a taste for winning.

"And I can come back and share that knowledge with the girls.

"Now there is no one that we fear."


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