Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennie Wyllie predicts the Silver Ferns will flourish against adversity when they face England next week, despite a chaotic buildup.
The Ferns take on the Commonwealth Games gold medallists in a three-test Taini Jamison Trophy series in Christchurch, beginning on Monday.
Head coach Dame Noeline Taurua and her squad couldn’t have scripted a more disruptive buildup with lockdown and Auckland remaining at level 4 ruining any chance of linking up before arrival in Christchurch. The Ferns’ pre-series training camp in Wellington in early September was cancelled with the country at level 4.
They will have just three full days together as a squad to prepare with the onus on the players to individually carry out their planning and strength and conditioning while in lockdown.
New Zealand will be bolstered by the availability of their four Auckland-based players; new captain Gina Crampton, vice captain Sulu Fitzpatrick, debutante Grace Nweke, and Peta Toeava, who were granted government exemption to travel south. The quartet touched down in Christchurch late on Friday.
With only the players given clearance, Silver Ferns manager Esther Molloy, strength and conditioning coach Guy Mothersole, and physio Mark Overington remained in Auckland.
Christchurch-based former Silver Ferns physio Sharon Kearney, Southern Steel manager Dayna Kaio and Christchurch strength and conditioning coach John Wilson will assist in their absence. Netball Mainland staff will also help with game event responsibilities.
“The most amazing thing is when I looked at our team and I look at the team behind the Silver Ferns, everyone has just been really positive about right okay that’s not ideal, but we’re going to face into this and we’ll find a way,” Wyllie said.
“This is the adversity that will make this team and this management unit really strong as we go into these future events because the world isn’t going back to the normal we once knew.”
In a rare situation, England will have had a week longer together as a squad to prepare for the series having got out of managed isolation last Friday.
It was far from a perfect buildup for the Silver Ferns, but in the current Covid-19 climate the team were grateful just to have the opportunity to play international games and have England in the country.
Monday’s opening test will be played behind closed doors. There’s every chance there won’t be fans at the final two games, depending on a change in alert levels outside Auckland and social gathering regulations.
Despite the various challenges, Wyllie stressed the Silver Ferns wouldn’t be making excuses against England.
“I’m confident in Noeline and if she’s confident, I’m confident. The thing is the Ferns haven’t been together since Constellation Cup in March. Our buildup has been really compromised.
“What we can control is the performance we put out there on court and the opportunity for those that are there to put their hand up and say ‘I’ve done the work’, and as Noels said I’m independent and I don’t need to have my hand held.
“I’m out there to play for New Zealand and that’s the best compliment we can do for Kiwis around New Zealand is get out there and put a bloody good performance on the court.”
Taurua told Stuff last week the individuals who thrived against England amid all the challenges and had done the work prior to the series were exactly the kind of players she wanted in her environment.
With next year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham looming, the Taini Jamison Trophy shaped as an important one for the Ferns as they look to develop combinations and get a look at several uncapped or inexperienced players at international level.
The Ferns were scheduled to defend their Constellation Cup title against Australia in October, but that series was postponed to a yet to be confirmed date due to the Covid-19 situation on both sides of the Tasman. Taurua’s squad will instead match up against the New Zealand men’s invitational team in a three game series in Hamilton in October.
“What we know is we have to defend the world championship in 2023 and that’s not too far away,” Wyllie said.
“Our last outing at the Commonwealth Games [in 2018] was less than what we expected of ourselves, so Birmingham is going to be a new environment again. It’s really important and vital and Noels will be using a bit of creativity to ensure the intensity and what’s required in those lead-ins is there.”
The Silver Ferns were a stoic bunch and even if they had to play a home series in front of no spectators with limited training time as a group they would push through.
When they last took the court in March in the Constellation Cup against Australia in Christchurch, the first three games were played with no fans in attendance with the city at level 2.
Christchurch moved to level 1 for the fourth test, allowing a restricted crowd to watch the Ferns snap a nine-year Constellation Cup drought, beating Australia 3-1 over the series.
“What we’re learning from [lockdown and Covid-19] is you kind of have to look at these as challenges that make you a bit stronger as a result.
“It keeps you flexible and the people that adapt the best will have the most success in these environments. I think it’s just teaching me something new every day and it teaches the team something new every day.”
AT A GLANCE:
Silver Ferns v England; Taini Jamison Trophy series
Silver Ferns (from): Gina Crampton (c), Maia Wilson, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Grace Nweke, Jamie Hume, Tiana Metuarau, Maddy Gordon, Kate Heffernan, Claire Kersten, Shannon Saunders, Peta Toeava, Sam Winders, Karin Burger, Sulu Fitzpatrick, Kelly Jury, Georgia Tong, Kimiora Poi, Paris Lokotui.
England (from): Serena Guthrie (c), George Fisher, Eleanor Cardwell, Sophie Drakeford-Lewis, Laura Malcolm, Jade Clarke, Beth Cobden, Francesca Williams, Layla Guscoth, Geva Mentor, Vicki Oyesola, Imogen Allison, Ella Clark, Rhea Dixon, Hannah Joseph.
All games at Christchurch Arena
Test one: Monday, September 20; 7.30pm.
Test two: Wednesday, September 22; 7.30pm.
Test three: Friday, September 24; 7.30pm.
