A fresh international chapter awaits the New Zealand Blackjacks, as selectors Peter Belliss and Sharon Sims opt for a changing of the guard for the upcoming World Bowls Championships in August. 

Following a largely successful Multi-Nations campaign on the Gold Coast, Belliss and Sims have rewarded good performances and made some tough decisions in arriving at their five men and five women to contest the sports’ pinnacle.

Notable omissions in the men’s line-up include reigning world singles champion Shannon McIlroy and 2016 World Fours Champion skip Ali Forsyth -both narrowly missing the cut in favour of two standout performers from recent seasons, Andrew Kelly and Sheldon Bagrie-Howley.

Off the back of what was a promising international performance on the Gold Coast last month, Kelly has been called on to take the singles spot and skip the pair – combining with Tony Grantham, who was in stellar form throughout the 7-day event. Joining Kelly and Grantham will be Bagrie-Howley, Lance Pascoe and Chris Le Lievre – all impressing in various combinations during their time in the triples and fours disciplines.

Those to also miss the team naming on this occasion include Kelvin Scott and Ray Martin – both also playing their part in the Gold Coast, but falling victim to the fact only five names could be included for August.

Meanwhile, the women’s line-up remains consistent with recent campaigns, albeit a few discipline changes and Wellington’s Nicole Toomey desperately unfortunate to miss selection in the women’s triples and fours.

Unsurprisingly, Belliss and Sims have set their combination as Katelyn Inch and Selina Goddard in the pairs – both securing bronze at last year’s Commonwealth Games and convincingly taking gold in last month’s Multi-Nations. Burnside’s Tayla Bruce has been given the nod in the women’s singles berth, reflecting a strong win in the World Champion of Champion Singles earlier this season and rewarded for a string of promising solo performances among international company.

Joining Bruce, Inch and Goddard will be perennial campaigner Val Smith, back for a remarkable fifth world championships and charged with skipping the triple and playing three in the four – while recent debutant Leeane Poulson will round out the fifth, playing lead in both the triples and fours.

Along with Toomey, fellow Wellingtonian Clare Hendra also painstakingly misses the team sheet, again falling victim to the equation of selecting only five players.

Perhaps another sure-fire selection was the women’s para pairing of Teri Blackbourn and Julie O’Connell, winning eight from eight on their debut performance and agonisingly losing the Multi-Nations final to claim silver. Both Blackbourn and O’Connell will rejoin for World Bowls and take a tilt at capturing the world title.

The men’s combination of Mark Noble and Darron Wolland have also been given an opportunity for redemption, unable to secure any medals at the Multi-Nations, but showing enough promise to turn their form around for the August campaign. Noble has been a mainstay in the para bowls set-up, while Wolland has recently burst onto the scene with some solid domestic performances earning him a call-up at last month’s showcase.

Commenting on the team selection, Bowls New Zealand Head Coach Mike Kernaghan says there is an air of excitement among the squad, and both a dedication and strong sense of expectation to secure medals later this year.

“(Clearly) there have been some uncomfortable calls to make, but equally there has been delight in those players that have been given this next opportunity. For those that missed selection on this occasion, they are all understandably disappointed and gutted, as you would expect, Kernaghan said.

“However, they all understand and have taken it as well as they can – with Ali himself reaffirming his commitment to wanting to be in the Commonwealth Games team for 2026 – and like anyone else in the squad, he will get that opportunity to put his best foot forward and be open for selection again down the line.

“Looking at this team, it’s fair to say the selectors have sent a really good message to all those players in the squad, or on the fringes of the squad, that if given the opportunity and you perform, you will be right in the frame for the big moments.”

Reflecting on the recent efforts at the Multi-Nations, Kernaghan said it was a pleasure to watch many of the players grow into their international duties – with the majority of the squad taking every opportunity to show their wares.

“I think for the girls it was very much a continuation of where they got to at the Commonwealth Games . . . they all showed they are very much at that level. Nicole can consider herself incredibly unlucky to miss the team, but by all accounts, Leeane was exceptional and has pipped Nicole for this position. (But), it’s really encouraging to us that we have more than five ladies that can compete at this level, and compete very, very well.

“Arguably, the Australian men and women are the best in the world at the moment (particularly on their own greens), so for us to walk away with the women’s overall trophy at Multi-Nations is just brilliant.”

In other results, the men took home a silver in the fours and bronze in the pairs – both combinations showing huge potential in pressure situations – particularly with four of the seven players making their international debut.

“There were certainly a few nerves on day one, but after that, they all stepped up to the mark and played particularly well – hence that’s where these selections have come from,” Kernaghan said.

“Their selections are well deserved right across the five, and we are thrilled that they all stepped up when required. Over the course of the week, they all improved immensely, and despite a poor start to the fours, they pulled together (and if it wasn’t for some Aron Sherriff genius), they may have won that final and clinched gold.

“Ultimately, they all knew the Multi-Nations was an environment in which they would be judged day after day, on and off the green – and they all impressed greatly. On this occasion, five of them have been given the next opportunity and we’re excited to see what comes of that in the coming months.”

The 2023 World Bowls Championships will be held on the Gold Coast, Australia from 29 August to 10 September.

Men

Singles: Andrew Kelly

Pairs: Andrew Kelly (S) Tony Grantham (L)

Triples: Sheldon Bagrie-Howley (S) Lance Pascoe (2) Chris Le Lievre (L)

Fours: Sheldon Bagrie-Howley (S) Lance Pascoe (3) Chris Le Lievre (2) Tony Grantham (L)

B6 – B8 Pairs: Darron Wolland (L) Mark Noble (S)

Women

Singles: Tayla Bruce

Pairs: Katelyn Inch (S) Selina Goddard (L)

Triples: Val Smith (S) Tayla Bruce (2) Leeane Poulson (L)

Fours: Katelyn Inch (S) Val Smith (3) Selina Goddard (2) Leeane Poulson (L)

B6 – B8 Pairs: Julie O’Connell (L) Teri Blackbourn (S)