Silver Ferns Defeat Australian Diamonds 56-48 In Constellation Cup Opener

12 October, 2022

An 11-goal first quarter lead set up the Silver Ferns for a decisive 56-48 victory over the Australian Diamonds in the first Test of the Constellation Cup at Spark Arena in Auckland tonight.

In the first clash of the four-Test series, the Silver Ferns’ stunning first quarter performance, to lead 20-9, was the Ferns’ highest score in a 60-minute international against Australia.

The Ferns continued to lead the world No.1 side at every quarter and managed to hold the Diamonds out when they made repeated assaults on the home side’s advantage.

It was the first Constellation Cup series since March 2021, when the Silver Ferns won the coveted trophy for only the second time since 2010. And it was the first time the two sides have met since January (for the first time, they didn’t meet at the Commonwealth Games).

In another set of firsts, Peta Toeava’s return to the black dress saw her get the nod to start at wing attack – her first time in a Ferns starting seven (it would also be her first full international). It was Toeava’s first time combining with centre Whitney Souness, and the new partnership was integral to the Ferns’ dominance in the opening stages.

Toeava also thrived on her first opportunity to feed her magical trademark passes to Mystics goal shoot team-mate Grace Nweke in a Test match, which at times had the near-capacity crowd on its feet.

Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio, in her milestone 50th Test, was a rock on attack, shooting a solid 16 from 19, and complementing Nweke, who finished with outstanding figures of 40 from 42.

But it was the defensive combination of Kelly Jury, Kate Heffernan and game MVP Phoenix Karaka which had the Australian attack rattled from the outset. Recent Commonwealth Games gold medallists, Australia have retained the spine of that squad for this series, but they lacked cohesion for much of the game.

Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua, in her 50th Test guiding the national side, has taken a novel approach to this four-test series, naming two different teams to play on either side of the Tasman. It’s an opportunity for more players to stake their claim in the Ferns as they look ahead to defending the Netball World Cup next year.

It’s also a chance to see where the Silver Ferns stand, nine months out from the world championships, and a test of how they stand up to back-to-back international matches against their fiercest rivals.

Once the Silver Ferns got into their rhythm in the first quarter, they ramped up the defensive pressure, and went on a breathtaking run of 10 unanswered goals, rushing out to a nine-goal advantage. The Diamonds couldn’t find any way to shut down the Ferns attack, in particular Toeava’s flair and connection with Nweke.

Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich brought Sunday Aryang into the defence circle for the second quarter trying to stem the flow of ball into Nweke. But a clever backwards intercept from Karaka began a chain of events which gave the Ferns an even more commanding lead of 14.

More fresh legs for the Diamonds, including Kiera Austin replacing Steph Wood at goal attack, helped them claw back the difference to eight at halftime, 31-23.

The Silver Ferns stuck with the same seven going into the third spell, but with a more concerted defensive effort from the Australians, they began to chip away at the lead to get within three. But the final moments of the quarter saw the Ferns re-establish their control, to lead 42-36 going into the final break.

The Ferns’ defence went up another notch in the last quarter, even when Karaka left the court with a bleeding knee, replaced by Kayla Johnson, who didn’t miss a beat. 

Diamonds goal shoot Cara Koenen was the lynchpin for her side with her consistency under the hoop, shooting 21 from 22.

The Silver Ferns and Australian Diamonds will next meet on Sunday (October 16) in front of a sold-out crowd at Trustpower Baypark Arena in Tauranga.

The teams then head to Australia for the third and fourth Tests in the Constellation Cup – the first time in three years the Silver Ferns will play there.

Official Result and Stats:

Silver Ferns: 56
Australia: 48

Champion Data Match Centre

Shooting Stats - Silver Ferns:
Grace Nweke 40/42 (95%)
Ameliaranne Ekenasio 16/19 (84%)

Shooting Stats - Australia:
Cara Koenen 21/22 (96%)
Steph Wood 11/16 (69%)
Kiera Austin 9/14 (64%)
Sophie Garbin 7/9 (78%)

MVP: Phoenix Karaka

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