Spectators aren’t seeing double during the EnviroWaste North Island Junior Netball Championships.

The tournament features five sets of twins across the Under 16 and Under 14 age groups.

Whanganui’s Tana and Tinaye-Isha Musa, Otorohanga’s Hannah and Sarah Ngawhika, Thames Valley’s Royle and Desire Parata-Wilson and North Harbour’s Aliya and Lani Rawle and Eva and Marina Stowers are all featuring during the three-day event.

The Musa twins are identical and said teams think they’re hallucinating when they play against them.

“Both of our coaches are wondering who’s in what position. We have to wear different coloured shoes,” Tana said.

The Ngawhika sisters said the connections were ‘pretty cool’ linking at goal shoot and goal defence.

“She’s able to read the pass of the ball,” said Sarah about her sister.

The twins have played in the same teams since they were six.

Now 14, teammates and opponents just think they’re teammates because they’re not identical.

But it’s not all plain sailing for the Rawle twins.

“It’s quite fun playing with your sister but we get into arguments sometimes. Most of the times when you’re frustrated you take it out on your sister because they won’t really care,” said Aliya.

“It’s about ‘you passed this ball and should have done that,’” Lani said.

She said the arguments don’t continue when they go home.

“It’s kind of a quite a cool opportunity because people don’t get to play with their siblings. If you trust each other, you can play well together and bring it down the court,” Lani said.

The twins also fight for the same position playing in the midcourt but being in the same team makes transport easier for their parents.

Royle and Desire Parata-Wilson said they always fight.

“She doesn’t do her stuff properly,” said Royle.

The two aren’t at the same end of the court but both still get annoyed with their play.

“It stays on the court though,” Desire added.

They admitted both are treated as a ‘friend who lives with me.’

Article added: Monday 12 July 2021