Silver Ferns seek confidence boost
Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua threw her dice in the air before Christmas, making wholesale changes to her squad for this month’s Quad Series in England.
Gone were former captain Katrina Rore, fellow defenders Sulu Fitzpatrick and Michaela SokolichBeatson, midcourter Erikana Pedersen, and shooters Aliyah Dunn and Te Paea Selby-Rickit.
In came former captain Casey Kopua (returning from injury), fellow defenders Karin Burger and Erena Mikaere, midcourters Kimiora Poi and Whitney Souness and shooter Ameliaranne Ekenasio.
On Monday, when the Ferns play the England Roses, we will find out whether those changes in personnel will bring a change in fortune.
It has been more than a year since their last win over the Roses, in Hamilton in September, 2017. In their three meetings in 2018, they lost by seven, nine and 13 – a new record margin each time.
Since the last World Cup in 2015, they have beaten the Roses four times and lost five times, having lost just four times in their history previously.
With the next World Cup on the Roses’ home turf in Liverpool just six months away, a sense of urgency abounds when it comes to rediscovering their winning edge.
The Ferns’ record against the Australian Diamonds – who they play next Sunday, in their second Quad Series game – is equally as poor of late. They have had just five wins in 22 meetings since the World Cup.
There were glimpses of improvement at the end of last year once Taurua came on board, replacing Janine Southby, who resigned following a review prompted by the Ferns’ failure to win a medal at last April’s Commonwealth Games.
However, they had only two wins to show for it, one against the Diamonds and one against South Africa, which made Taurua’s raft of changes no surprise.
The return of Laura Langman to the fold was clearly a positive and if fellow veteran Kopua can have the same impact, involved for the first time since 2015, it could help the team find another level.
Both have spoken of their desire to win the World Cup, something neither have done before, with the Ferns’ last win coming in 2003, when the pair were still at college.
It may seem fanciful given their recent results but there is enough time for them to find what they need to get up over the two teams ahead of them.
Four years ago, New Zealand were well off the pace set by the Diamonds, losing nine straight heading into the World Cup, only to upset the Aussies in pool play, then push them close when they met again in the final, losing only by three.
Taurua pushed her charges hard before making her selections in December, with the intensity of the camp remarked upon by all who took part.
Now it’s case of seeing whether those who impressed her there can continue to do it on the court against the world’s best.