Adesanya ‘shook the tree’ – Taurua

His speech stole the show at the Halberg Awards and Israel Adesanya’s words of wisdom struck a chord with Dame Noeline Taurua.

The Silver Ferns mentor, who was named coach of the year at the awards ceremony in Auckland on Thursday night, says she loved Adesanya’s swag and attack on New Zealand’s ‘‘messed up’’ tall poppy syndrome.

‘‘Understand this, if you see one of us shining – whether it be the netball team, the Black Caps, the sailors – pump them up, embrace them because if they win, we win. If I win, you win. ‘‘Understand that,’’ Adesanya said. The undefeated UFC middleweight champion impressed Taurua with his confidence and willingness to speak his mind with a message of positivity.

‘‘I love what he said, first and foremost to have the confidence, to shake the tree a wee bit,’’ Taurua told

‘‘We are definitely humble, and I also think that’s part of our DNA and what makes us so good amongst other countries,’’ she said.

‘‘I love the thing he said about the tall poppy syndrome, I have just come back from Australia and if there’s one thing I learnt over there is their confidence and support for their athletes or anything that’s happening in their country, through thick and thin they’ll stay true,’’ Taurua told

‘‘I love that about them, I love their confidence, that swag they have irrelevant of where they are in the pecking order.

‘‘It’s something we’ve been talking about the Silver Ferns. We remain humble, we remain grateful, but we slaughter them when we’re out there on the netball court, we put our foot down,’’ Taurua said.