Netball: New coach Noeline Taurua stamping her mark on Silver Ferns

  • 06/10/2018

Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua has only been in the job for six weeks, but assistant Debbie Fuller has already seen plenty of changes among the team.

After last month's Quad Series, New Zealand are preparing for their four-test Constellation Cup showdown against Australia, opening in Brisbane on Sunday.

This will be their second campaign under Taurua and she is desperate to show Australia that the Ferns are the real deal, by winning the trophy for only the second time.

Taurua has made three changes to the squad that played in the Quad Series, bringing in defender Sulu Fitzpatrick, uncapped wing attack Erikana Pedersen and shooter Maia Wilson, with Karin Burger, Elisapeta Toeava, and Ameliaranne Ekenasio dropped from the squad.

Speaking to Newshub before departing to Brisbane, Fuller said Taurua's winning style was making the Silver Ferns stronger.

"Noeline has always been a coach who looks beyond the obvious and she's very sure on how we want to play," she said.

"Every session we have, there is more growth and more learnings going on in the groups, so we're building every week.

"This group, compared to when we came in during the Quad Series, is more established. There is more understanding about how we want to play and our game style.

"We want to play that Kiwi style, and we want to uphold that and play with pride. Noeline's been reminding us about what that means and the responsibility that comes with it."

Playing against the world's best team will only help grow the squad, she added.

"It always a great contest against Australia - we love playing against them.

"We played them in Melbourne a couple of weeks ago, so it’s good to see the group progress.

"We're testing the girls again, we're seeing what they got in those pressure moments, and who can push through and grind out the process."

Following the opening test in Brisbane, the Constellation Cup moves to Townsville next week, before heading to Hamilton on October 14 and Wellington on October 18.

Newshub.