Langman, Kopua will raise bar
Laura Langman and Casey Kopua’s return is the first tiny step in the Silver Ferns restoring their damaged netball credibility. The New Zealand legends are set to end their international exiles after being named in a 17-player 2018-19 Silver Ferns squad yesterday.
Recalling two of the finest players in Kiwi netball history, with a combined 242 test caps, is a huge boost for the broken Ferns, but it hasn’t been met with universal approval.
Already keyboard warriors have surfaced, labelling their inclusion as a backward step. Picking two veterans at the end of their careers is apparently blocking the pathway for emerging talent, who impressed in this season’s national premiership. Those views are shortsighted and ignore the impact the pair of centurions will have on-and-off the court.
Bringing Kopua, who has come out of international retirement after last playing for the Ferns in October 2015, and Langman, who hasn’t featured since October 2016, is a masterstroke from head coach-in-waiting Noeline Taurua.
In case you’ve been lurking under a rock, the Silver Ferns aren’t in a great spot after an inept showing at April’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, where they failed to win a medal for the first time and finished fourth.
They suffered an embarrassing loss to Malawi in pool play, despite having thrashed them by 33 goals in a warm-up match a few weeks earlier.
The despair continued with consecutive losses to England, Australia, and Jamaica, in the bronze medal clash, to end their horror tournament.
Four-times world champions, the Ferns have lost 11 straight games since October to tier one nations (Australia, England, and Jamaica).
New Zealand netball is at rock bottom and not so flush with player depth or experience, they can stick up their nose to two legends of the sport.
They are fortunate Langman hasn’t wiped her hands with the national body after the ridiculous decision from Netball New Zealand to block her from representing the Ferns because she was trying to extend herself by playing in Australia last year.
One of the key findings in the first stage of the independent review into the Ferns’ failed Games campaign was the lack of leadership and senior players in their arsenal.
The team was ‘‘green’’, ‘‘inexperienced’’ and missed the ‘‘experienced, battlehardened’’ players typically needed to contend for titles and medals at major netball tournaments, the report found.
Only three of the Ferns’ 12-player squad on the Gold Coast attended the 2014 Games and for eight of the team it was their first pinnacle event.
Langman and Kopua are closer to the end of their career than the start. It would be little shock if next July’s 2019 Netball World Cup was the swansong for both and veteran shooter Maria Folau.
What better opportunity for the new faces in the Ferns’ squad, Aliyah Dunn, Karin Burger, and Elisapeta Toeava, to spend the next year soaking up their knowledge and professionalism.
Training alongside Kopua in the defensive circle and picking her brain will only benefit the returning Jane Watson and impressive Temalisi Fakahokotau.
Elements of Sam Sinclair’s play have been compared to a young Langman. Now, she’ll get to work alongside the midcourt maestro and take her game to an even higher level.
Taurua’s coaching pedigree speaks for itself. She’s won major domestic titles with the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic and Lightning, and doesn’t suffer fools.
Few in New Zealand netball could have convinced Kopua and Langman to return to the Ferns, but that is the power and respect Taurua commands.
Langman and Kopua shouldn’t be considered a short-term fix. They’re two exemplary figures the Ferns can build around with standards the other players should be aspiring to.
That can only be a positive for netball in New Zealand – not something to be scoffed at.