The national netball squad preparing for the Pacific Games 2023 will be part of the inaugural Netball Cook Islands Men’s Competition that starts today at the National Sports Arena.

The competition will provide the national team some game time leading to the Pacific Games in November, says Netball Cook Islands secretary Tekura Moeka’a.

Moeka’a says there are five men's teams and the recently named wider national squad will join in as the sixth team.

“This is an inaugural competition - first of its kind,” she said. “In the hope this competition will regenerate our Men's Netball and Netball Cook Islands is looking to run a tri-series in August for Men's, Women's and U21 Development Squad (that will be named this weekend).”

In the opening match tonight, the National Netball Squad will take on TOA Fusion at 6pm, followed by the Spice Guys facing Shine on Fiji 2 and the final match for the night sees Shine on Fiji 1 battling Empire at 8.40pm.

Tonight’s games will be round one of the six to seven weeks of competition. Three games will be played per week on every Thursday. Competition is expected to end on July 27.

Entry fee is $2 and everyone is invited.