 | ||
| Nickname(s) | Silver Ferns | |
|---|---|---|
| Association | Netball New Zealand | |
| Confederation | Oceania Netball Federation | |
| Head coach | Yvette McCausland-Durie | |
| Asst coach | Liana Leota | |
| Captain | Karin Burger | |
| Mostcaps | Laura Langman (163) | |
| World ranking | 2 | |
| ||
| First international | ||
| Australia 40–11 New Zealand Royal Park, Melbourne, 20 August 1938 | ||
| Netball World Cup | ||
| Appearances | 15 (Debuted in1963) | |
| 2023 placing | 4th | |
| Best result | 1st (1967,1979,1987,2003,2019) | |
| Commonwealth Games | ||
| Appearances | 6 (Debuted in1998) | |
| 2022 placing | 3rd | |
| Best result | 1st (2006,2010) | |
TheNew Zealand national netball team, commonly known as theSilver Ferns (Māori:Rau Hiriwā[1] orKaponga),[2] representNetball New Zealand in internationalnetball tournaments such as theNetball World Cup, theCommonwealth Games, theTaini Jamison Trophy, theConstellation Cup, theNetball Quad Series and theFast5 Netball World Series. They have also represented New Zealand at theWorld Games. New Zealand made theirtest debut in1938. As of 2023, New Zealand have been world champions on five occasions and Commonwealth champions twice. They are regularly ranked number two in theWorld Netball Rankings.
On 20 August 1938, New Zealand, captained byMargaret Matangi, made their test debut in an away match against atAustralia atRoyal Park, Melbourne. Australia defeated New Zealand 40–11. This was the firstnetball Test between Australia and New Zealand. It was also the world's first international netball match.[3][4][5][6][7][8] On 20 August 1948, New Zealand, captained byOonah Shannahan, hosted their first home test against Australia atForbury Park. Australia defeated New Zealand 27–16.[7][9][10]
New Zealand's main rivals in international netball areAustralia. Between1963 and2015, the two teams dominated theWorld Netball Championships andCommonwealth Games tournaments. Since 2010 the two teams have also competed for theConstellation Cup. Notable and memorable clashes have included the finals of the1991,1999 and2011 World Netball Championships, the finals of the2010 and the2014 Commonwealth Games and the final match of the2013 Constellation Cup.[5][11][12][13][14][15]
New Zealand are regularly ranked number two in theWorld Netball Rankings. In January 2011, after winning the2010 Commonwealth Games tournament, they replacedAustralia at the top of the rankings for the first time. In 2013 they were again ranked number one.[16][17] After finishing fourth at the2018 Commonwealth Games, New Zealand dropped, for the first time in their history, to third.[18] In July 2019, they dropped to fourth.[16][19] However, after winning the2019 Netball World Cup, they moved back up to second.[20]
New Zealand have competed at everyWorld Netball Championships and/orNetball World Cup since the inaugural1963 tournament.[21] At the 1963 tournament, New Zealand were captained byPamela Edwards, withLois Muir as vice-captain.Australia defeated New Zealand 37–36 in a closely contested final.[6][22][23][24][25] After winning the1967 World Netball Championships, New Zealand were world champions for the first time. The team was coached byTaini Jamison and captained byJudy Blair. In the final they beat Australia 40–43.Joan Harnett emerged as the star for New Zealand and was named player of the tournament. In 1996 the team was inducted into theNew Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.[6][26][27][28][29][30]
At the1979 World Netball Championships, New Zealand shared the gold medal with Australia andTrinidad and Tobago.[30][31] After winning the1987 World Netball Championships, with a team coached by Lois Muir and captained byLeigh Gibbs, New Zealand were world champions for a third time. New Zealand were dominant in group play, winning all eight matches. That saw them advance to a final round with Australia,England and Trinidad and Tobago. New Zealand were the only team to win all three of their games and were subsequently declared world champions. In 1996, the 1987 team was also inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.[6][30][32][33][34]
At the2003 World Netball Championships, with a team captained byAnna Rowberry, New Zealand won their fourth title. In the final they defeated Australia 49–47. At the 2003Halberg Awards, the Silver Ferns won both the main award and were named Team of the Year. Their head coach,Ruth Aitken, was named Coach of the Year andIrene van Dyk, who scored 41 from 43 in the final, was named Sportswoman of the Year.[30][35][36][37][38][39]
New Zealand were world champions for a fifth time when, with a team captained byLaura Langman and featuringCasey Kopua andMaria Folau, they won the2019 Netball World Cup. In just fourteen months, head coachNoeline Taurua turned a team, demoralised at missing out on a medal at the2018 Commonwealth Games, into world champions. New Zealand rebounded from a round robin defeat to Australia to defeat them 52–51 in the final.[30][40][41][42][43][44] At the 2019 Halberg Awards, the Silver Ferns won both the Halberg Award Supreme and were named Team of the Year. Winning the 2019 Netball World Cup was declared New Zealand's Favourite Sports Moment and Taurua, was named Coach of the Year.[45] The team were also awarded the 2019Lonsdale Cup.[46]
Between1985 and1993, New Zealand competed at theWorld Games, winning two gold and one silver medals.[60] With a team captained byLyn Parker, New Zealand defeatedAustralia 39–37 in the final to win the inaugural title.[61][62] At the1989 tournament, a New Zealand team captained byWaimarama Taumaunu, defeated Australia 33–29.[63] At the 1989Halberg Awards, the Silver Ferns were named Team of the Year and their head coach, Lyn Parker, was named Coach of the Year.[64]
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 1985 World Games[62] |  |
| 1989 World Games[63] | |
| 1993 World Games[65] |  |
Source:[60]
New Zealand has competed at everynetball tournament at the Commonwealth Games.[66][67] In1990 they lost toAustralia in a one-off match when netball was ademonstration sport.[68][69] Between1998 and2014 they played in every tournament final, winning two gold and three silver medals.[66] In2006 New Zealand won the gold medal for the first time with a 60–55 win over Australia.[70] In2010, New Zealand, led byMaria Tutaia andIrene van Dyk, won their second gold medal after they defeated Australia 66–64 in an epic encounter. Tutaia scored the winning goal in double extra time after 84 minutes of play.[13][14][71][72] The Silver Ferns were also awarded the 2010Lonsdale Cup.[73][74][75]
Since 2008,Netball New Zealand has hosted theTaini Jamison Trophy. The trophy is contested with visiting teams, other thanAustralia. Teams to compete have includedEngland,Jamaica,South Africa,Malawi,Fiji andSamoa.[90]
Since 2010, New Zealand andAustralia have competed for theConstellation Cup.[12][13][14][15] New Zealand won the trophy for the first time in2012 and for a second time in2021.[129][130][131][132]
Since2012, New Zealand have competed in theNetball Quad Series, playing againstAustralia,England andSouth Africa.[163] The Silver Ferns won their first Quad Series title inSeptember 2017.[164] In2020, the Quad Series was briefly replaced by a Nations Cup tournament. New Zealand won this tournament.[165]
Since2009, theFast5 Ferns have played in theFast5 Netball World Series. They have been the dominant team in the series. Between 2009 and2018, they won seven of the nine tournaments played.[179][180]
The current squad was selected for the2025 Constellation Cup.
| New Zealand roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg)
| Player | Appearances | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Laura Langman[206][207] | 165 | 2005–2020 |
| Maria Folau[208] | 150 | 2005–2019 |
| Irene van Dyk[209][210] | 145 | 2000–2014 |
| Katrina Rore[211] | 137 | 2008–2022 |
| Casey Kopua (née Williams)[212] | 135 | 2005–2019 |
| Lesley Rumball[213] | 110 | 1994–2005 |
| Leana de Bruin[214] | 104 | 2003–2016 |
The following New Zealand netball internationals have been inducted into theNew Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.
| Inducted | Player | Appearances | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Joan Harnett[27][219] | 26 | 1963–1971 |
| 1993 | Lois Muir[24][220] | 13 | 1960–1964 |
| 1996 | Waimarama Taumaunu[221][222] | 77 | 1981–1991 |
| 1999 | Rita Fatialofa[223][224] | 45 | 1982–1989 |
| 2001 | Sandra Edge[225][226] | 89 | 1985–1995 |
| 2016 | Lesley Rumball[213][227] | 110 | 1994–2005 |
Sources:[228]
The following New Zealand netball internationals captained the team when they won the gold medal at theNetball World Cup, theCommonwealth Games and theWorld Games.
.jpg)
| Coach | Years |
|---|---|
| Myrtle Muir[230] | 1938–1948 |
| Dixie Cockerton[231] | 1960–1963 |
| Taini Jamison[232] | 1967–1971 |
| Lois Muir[233] | 1974–1988 |
| Lyn Gunson[234] | 1989–1993 |
| Leigh Gibbs[235] | 1994–1997 |
| Yvonne Willering[236] | 1997–2001 |
| Ruth Aitken[237] | 2002–2011 |
| Waimarama Taumaunu[238] | 2011–2015 |
| Janine Southby[239][240] | 2015–2018 |
| Noeline Taurua[241][242] | 2018– |
Sources:[243]
| |
