Break but no rest for hard working Flames | Canterbury Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Canterbury

The National Bank Cup break has been anything but a holiday for the Canterbury Flames, who return to the court against the Shakers at the Westpac on Saturday.

Coach Margaret Foster had the team working harder than ever during the international window, including four games against the Canterbury men.

With only Julie Seymour and Jade Topia away, the Flames' training has not been too affected.

"It's given others an opportunity to step up," said Foster. They'd worked on their game plan and game style, and refined what they were doing to keep the players excited, she said.

Battling the men ? they meet in their fourth match tomorrow ? helped make the players stronger to the ball, said Foster.

With the international break they'd had to market the 2007 season as two campaigns, but had been pretty fortunate to have had quite hard games to start with, she said.

Now two home matches with the Shakers and Sting decide whether or not the fifth-placed Flames make the semis for the third time in four years, and Foster believes they have to win both.

They will be helped if the Magic, who are two points ahead, lose to leaders Force on Sunday.

The Shakers have had only one win from five games and the Flames beat them twice by large margins pre-season.

"But they've got a great defence unit and cut out the middle channel for our shooters," said Foster.

"It will be a good hit-out in preparation for the Sting." However, 21-year-old Topia should be up for a big match. Foster said the young shooter had learned a huge amount travelling as a training partner for the Ferns. Experience like that got a player's desire up, and she would be on a high, said the coach.