Silver Ferns score opening Constellation Cup win
The Silver Ferns have scored a 56-50 win over the Australian Diamonds to open the four-test Constellation Cup series in Auckland.
In front of a 6800-strong crowd, the biggest New Zealand netball audience in a decade, the Silver Ferns continued the recent trend of the home team holding sway in Constellation Cup matches, the Diamonds losing streak in New Zealand stretching to 11 matches since 2021.
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Having not played each other at the Commonwealth Games, and Australia failing to make a pinnacle event final for the first time in Glasgow, the Diamonds were keen resurrect their fortunes.
But with shooter Grace Nweke (40 from 41) and rangy defender Kelly Jackson producing dominant performances at both ends of the court, the Silver Ferns outclassed their opponents through the first three-quarters.
Much to their disappointment, when leading by 12 heading into the last quarter, the sting went out of the Silver Ferns challenge, Australia finishing strongly to cut the deficit in half to take some off the gloss off a high-class opening three-quarters.
Showing their depth of midcourt talent, the Silver Ferns reverted to a more traditional starting trio with Kimiora Poi getting the nod at wing attack, Maddy Gordon, centre, and Kate Heffernan, wing defence, leaving Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, who made such an impactful presence during the Silver Ferns gold medal-winning run at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, to start from the bench.
Australia’s midcourt mainstay and vice-captain Kate Moloney was ruled out of the opening test with a finger injury with captain Liz Watson taking over the centre role and Georgie Horjus slotting in at wing attack.
Ball retention was a key facet of the Silver Ferns dominant opening stanza. With a low error rate and the flourishing connection between shooters Georgia Heffernan and Nweke, the New Zealanders patience and precision with the ball paid dividends.
It was a different story for the Diamonds who struggled with their flow and fluency on attack with defence duo Jackson and captain Karin Burger smothering the visitors’ options under the hoop, helping push the home side into a handy 15-10 lead at the first break.
Both sides resumed unchanged but it took only a few minutes for enforced changes to come to the fore for the visitors, who failed to make inroads while falling further adrift.
Sophie Dwyer came on at goal attack and, on debut, Jessie Grenvold took over at goalkeeper with the menacing Courtney Bruce, in her 100th match, moving out to goal defence. A few minutes later that also included the introduction of Amy Parmenter at wing defence.
Initially, the changes worked, with the Diamonds making small gains in the deficit before the Silver Ferns unleashed their second onslaught. In the form of her life, Jackson was imperious in quelling the Diamonds shooters with her extended reach and ability to block the shot.
The Heffernan sisters, Gordon and Poi delivered a flow of pin-point ball to Nweke’s hands, the 1.93m shooting shooter dictating with a perfect 26 from 26 as the Silver Ferns hit halftime well-placed when leading 32-22.
Both sides made changes for the third stanza, the Silver Ferns with the luxury of a decent lead able to test their depth while the Diamonds, in chase mode, having no other option.
With Reuelu-Buchanan coming on at wing defence, Gordon shifted to wing attack, Kate Heffernan to centre while Te Paea Selby-Rickit came on at goal attack for her first Silver Ferns appearance since 2023.
With Jamie-Lee Price picking up the captaincy duties at centre and Sophie Garbin, in her 50th test, coming in at goal shoot, the Diamonds made the best of starts to score the first three goals. However, that was about as good as it got, the Silver Ferns once settled, going on to retain the upper hand.
Jackson maintained her dominant presence in the Australian circle while Selby-Rickit added another dimension to the Silver Ferns attack line. Australia produced a more competitive 15 minutes but were ultimately let down by a high error count as the Silver Ferns went into the last turn with a healthy 45-33 lead.
The Constellation Cup series is played across two legs of two matches each in New Zealand and Australia. The second test will be played in Christchurch on Wednesday (7.40pm NZ
