Foster fears for Kiwis ahead of Comm Games
Former Silver Fern and top netball coach Marg Foster is worried New Zealand are going backwards, just 11 weeks out from the start of the Commonwealth Games.
Foster hoped the Silver Ferns’ 64-57 Quad Series extra-time loss to England in London yesterday would be the ‘‘wake-up call’’ they needed ahead of the year’s pinnacle event in April.
New Zealand butchered a six-goal lead with 10 minutes left, which Foster said was inexcusable.
They had a chance to sneak in front and win in the final minute, but an errant Shannon Francois pass was snatched by defender Eboni BeckfordChambers.
England’s victory was their third over the Silver Ferns in five matches since last August, having only beaten New Zealand four times previously. The seven-goal winning margin was England’s largest ever against the Silver Ferns.
Foster knows the English game well, having coached in their Superleague competition with the Loughborough Lightning. She believes England’s recent results show they are vying for the second best team in world netball tag, after Australia, which is disconcerting for the Silver Ferns.
‘‘England are sending out a message that they’re getting better. I don’t know if we’re getting better. I think there’s glimpses.
‘‘What happens is [England] start to get confidence. When they start beating us more regularly they start getting confident within themselves and that can be a disadvantage to us.’’
New Zealand routed a strong England side 61-37 last February in London, which illustrated the Roses’ massive progress and how much the Silver Ferns had declined.
England’s victory on Sunday was achieved without leading shooter Jo Harten, sidelined with a knee injury, which will only increase belief they can topple New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games.
The sides are grouped in the same pool at the tournament.
Their pool match on April 11 will be a huge one, with the loser almost certain to face Australia – expected to top the other group – in the semifinals.
Foster was stunned by the way the Silver Ferns fell apart when the heat went on in the final quarter, having thought they were poised to win by 10 goals.
She saluted England coach Tracey Neville, who made some crucial substitutions and tactical tweaks.
Foster said the players were essentially embodying the qualities of Neville out on court, compared to the New Zealand coaches, who were passive.
‘‘It looked like one side was really fired up with the emotion and the coaches. The athletes came out and they played to that passion and heart.
‘‘They really had that fire in the belly. When you looked at our lot, they were just sort of sitting there.’’
While the loss will sting, Foster didn’t think it was a monumental blow to the Ferns’ Commonwealth Games gold medal aspirations.