OPALS BEAT NEW ZEALAND TO QUALIFY FOR RIO

The Opals have qualified for their sixth straight Olympic Games thanks to a 17-point win over the Tall Ferns.
Once again, Newcastle’s Suzy Batkovic led the way with 15 points and five rebounds, while fellow Hunter product Katie Rae Ebzery also made a valuable contribution.
The Opals have won either silver or bronze at every Olympics since Atlanta in 1996, but Lauren Jackson believes Australia can finally break through for gold in Rio.