Source: Radio New Zealand
Grace Nweke takes a shot against England. Andrew Cornaga / Photosport
The Silver Ferns have capped off a turbulent 2025 by taking a 2-1 series win over the England Roses in Manchester, in what’s likely to be their last hit-out before the Commonwealth Games in July.
Thursday’s 55-49 win over England comes after it was revealed a stomach bug had gone through the team.
The test was the Silver Ferns 12th in the space of two months; a marathon international window, which began with the shock suspension of coach Dame Noeline Taurua.
Just days after Netball New Zealand announced the veteran coach was being stood down due to issues in the environment, the Silver Ferns kicked off their season by beating South Africa 3-0.
Before Thursday’s decider, the 12 Tests played between New Zealand and England since the start of 2023 was split six wins each.
One Test a piece and just a three goal margin, it took the final quarter of the third Test for either side to put their foot on the throttle and it was the Silver Ferns.
What’s even more impressive is that the Silver Ferns did it without making any changes throughout the game. Interim Silver Ferns’ coach Yvette McCausland-Durie said a stomach bug had gone through the team after Test two.
The Silver Ferns made two changes to their 12 for Test three, with Carys Stythe and Peta Toeava in for Kimiora Poi and Parris Mason. McCausland-Durie reverted to the Maddy Gordon at centre, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan at wing attack starting combination.
The first act of the game was an England pick-up off the Silver Ferns’ centre pass, which set the hosts off on a strong start. New Zealand were able to get a couple of balls back by applying pressure and forcing mistakes from the England attacking end.
Silver Fern Kate Heffernan. PHOTOSPORT
Kate Heffernan, playing her 50th Test for the New Zealand, continued her top form by pouncing on any passes that weren’t pinpoint.
England led 14-11 at the end of the first quarter, after forcing New Zealand into more mistakes.
The Silver Ferns scored the first four goals in the second period to take the lead. Shooter Grace Nweke, who scored at 100 percent in test two, missed a few goals under the post but was a rock again for the Ferns.
With five minutes left in the first half, England coach Jess Thirlby shifted Lois Pearson to wing attack, which saw Helen Housby go into goal shoot.
The Silver Ferns coughed up a chance to end the quarter three goals up, when they lost the ball in the attacking end but nonetheless led by two at half-time.
It looked like the third quarter was going to go the way of England, as it had in the first two Tests when goal defence Funmi Fadoju came up with a big turnover and England took the lead.
The Silver Ferns struggled to get the ball down court with any flow and found themselves two goals down.
But a Kelly Jackson intercept up high and a Heffernan win on circle edge helped keep them in the quarter before the Silver Ferns composed themselves on attack.
New Zealand won the quarter 15-13 to take a 42-38 lead heading into the final term.
Sasha Glasgow, who hasn’t been seen in the Roses dress for some time, came on at goal shoot for the final quarter, pushing Housby back out to GA, but it didn’t have the desired effect.
Two defensive wins from England saw the Roses come within two, but New Zealand grabbed the momentum again to win the final quarter by two goals.
Dame Noeline was reinstated as head coach in the middle of the Constellation Cup series, but McCausland-Durie was retained for the entire 2025 international season to “minimise disruption” to the Ferns camp.
On Monday, McCausland-Durie will go back to her day job at the school she helps manage in Auckland.
It’s been a gruelling but crucial international window for the Silver Ferns as they prepare for next year’s pinnacle event in Glasgow.
The Silver Ferns will be pleased with their performances over these last two months. They rebounded from back to back 17-goal losses to the Diamonds on Australian soil last month, by winning the next two tests in Aotearoa, only to lose the Constellation Cup by one goal in series decider time.
The Silver Ferns then predictably beat the Scottish Thistles twice in Glasgow, before meeting England for the three-Test series.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
