Silver Ferns England
noticeably ramped up their aggression in the second quarter.
After a forgettable performance in Napier, in which she returned a 50 per cent shooting effort, Tutaia’s radar was back on, slotting goals from all corners of the circle. She shot at 79 percent; Mes landed 21 from 21 and picked up the MVP award.
Silver Ferns coach Janine Southby said her side did not respond well to the lift in defensive intensity.
“We just got a little bit sloppy with some of our passing, we didn’t take as much care and England are a quality side, they have hugely experienced defenders and I think we panicked a little bit.”
In keeping with the see-sawing nature of the match, the Ferns clawed their way back to lead by one heading into the final spell, setting up another tight finish to the match.
The ability of the Roses to unpick the Ferns’ game plan twice in four matches will remain a nagging concern for Southby as she looks ahead to the Commonwealth Games, with the two sides set to meet in pool play in next year’s tournament.
Southby’s short-term focus, however, will be preparing her side for a four-test Constellation Cup series against Australia next month, which is certain to be full of feeling after the Ferns’ snatched the Quad Series crown away from the Diamonds last month.
The team for that series will be named today, after the national selectors were forced to undertake the tough task of condensing the 16 players that have taken the court over the past six games into their strongest 12.
Southby joked she was not sure whether the past few weeks have made things clearer in her mind, or murkier.
“The positive is we have to make some tough calls. I can’t say enough about the players. They’ve really put their hand up and made us think hard,” she said.