The Silver Ferns have earned a hard-fought 58-45 win over England in the first test of the Taini Jamison Trophy series in Hamilton.
The new-look world champions pulled away early and never relented in a solid - if at times disjointed - return to the test arena against a determined English side.
The visitors hustled hard defensively and - led by Eleanor Cardwell - shot well, but turnover troubles prevented them ever pulling within arm's length of the world champs, who led from start to finish.
Many of those turnovers were forced by Silver Ferns defender Sulu Fitzpatrick, who wreaked havoc on the edge of the circle with her pressure.
The Ferns were anchored by another stellar shooting performance from Maia Wilson (34/39), who continued her red-hot touch from the domestic quad series.
New Zealand finished with 58 from their 66 attempts on goal (88 percent), while England converted 45 of 53 (85 percent).
Wilson's developing combination with circle cohort Ameliaranne Ekenasio was one of the highlights for New Zealand, whose fluency through the midcourt left much more to be desired.
Meanwhile, England will take plenty of positives from their performance, especially considering the demands of both travel and COVID-19 quarantine.
The Roses were also on the wrong end of a staggering 59-33 penalty count and their rivals made them pay for their discretions, leading by as many as 16 goals in the fourth quarter.
The Silver Ferns can clinch the Taini Jamison Trophy with a win in the second test at the same venue on Friday. Jamaica currently hold the silverware, after winning the 2018 quad series against New Zealand, Malawi and Fiji.
Join us for live updates of the second test between the Silver Ferns and England from 7:30pm Friday.
