Australia is a hot favourite to take out its third successive Netball World Cup but Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander says there is no shortage of worthy challengers.

Australia has won 10 of the previous 13 World Cups, and with this year’s edition to be played in Sydney – the first time in 24 years we’ve hosted the tournament – many are predicting victory for the host nation is a foregone conclusion.

But Alexander isn’t so sure, the 51-year-old pointing to traditional rivals New Zealand, an improving England and, surprisingly, South Africa as live threats to a hat-trick.

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“A lot of people are saying it’s going to be England, but I still see New Zealand as our biggest threat, because they’re at their most dangerous when they’re hungry and they have a point to prove,” Alexander said.

“[New Zealand] have obviously chosen a team that’s fit and ready to take on a tournament, and is flexible and adaptable. You’re not quite going to know what they’re going to put out there, so that’s always dangerous, too.”

Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander. Photo: AAP

England, too, are predicted to be dangerous.

Australia just scraped past the old enemy 49-48 in the group stage at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and Alexander is wary of the No.3-ranked side.

“Definitely they’re a big threat, England,” Alexander said. “They’ve picked an experienced team, and they’ve picked a team that’s got lots of combinations already developed.”

The Diamonds coach will be paying special attention to South Africa.

Although they are ranked five spots below Australia and are huge outsiders to win the tournament, the South Africans are coached by Australian legend Norma Plummer.

Plummer, 70, masterminded Australia’s successes at the past two World Cups, and it is a measure of the esteem in which she is held that Alexander is concerned by the world No.6.

“They’re going to be improved, and that’s what I’ve already heard out of Africa,” Alexander said.

“I’ve got a couple of contacts over there, and they tell me that South Africa has definitely improved under Norma’s coaching.

“You would expect that, she’s going to provide that great intelligence and tactical knowledge that she’s built up over many, many years.

“That’ll give the South African players a lot of confidence about what they do, and they’re a really good team and very difficult to play on, so they’re going to provide a great challenge as well.”

The Netball World Cup runs from August 7-16 at Sydney Olympic Park.

Competing nations: Australia, New Zealand, England, Jamaica, Malawi, South Africa, Wales, Scotland, Fiji, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Zambia

Australia’s group fixtures:

v Trinidad and Tobago, Friday Aug 7, 9:05pm at Allphones Arena

v Barbados, Saturday Aug 8, 3:20pm at Allphones Arena

v New Zealand, Sunday Aug 9, 2:20pm at Allphones Arena

Foxtel will show every match live, while Channel 10 will show Sunday’s Diamonds match against New Zealand, and potential play-off matches, live on Ten or One.