Wins over Australia for the Kiwis and Silver Ferns backed up by the Breakers sinking Melbourne United caps off a stellar weekend for New Zealand Sport
Australian Diamonds head coach Lisa Alexander is wasting no time in plotting a comeback victory over the Silver Ferns.
The world champion Diamonds went down by a massive 11 goals to the Silver Ferns on Sunday at Hamilton's Claudelands Arena in the third test of the Constellation Cup, after decisively dominating the Kiwi side across nine consecutive games.
The Ferns' vastly improved performance restored New Zealand's hope in claiming the Constellation Cup for the first time since 2012, but Alexander isn't willing to give up the title just yet.
Putting her squad through their paces in a tough training session today – a day earlier than planned – following an "honest conversation" about Sunday's performance, Alexander said she expected nothing less than a solid comeback.
Australian Diamonds head coach Lisa Alexander isn't willing to suffer another loss to the Silver Ferns. Photo / Photosport
"Clearly, yes, we didn't bring our full intensity to that match, and that's part of the reason we've spoken about the need to do that for this final game," Alexander told Radio Sport.
"Hopefully no one hasn't been given the message that last Sunday's performance was unacceptable from a Diamonds team and that we need to really get out there on Thursday night and show how we would like to play and we need to make sure we bring our best to this contest.
"We've got a lot of work to do to get back on and that's why we're starting with training today ... we've got an opportunity to hit back now and very hard."
Handling the Diamonds' tough one-on-one defence style was pinpointed by Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua as a key area for improvement after their 15-goal loss in the series opener.
Although the Ferns held their ground more firmly in the second test, it wasn't until the series moved to Kiwi soil that the Australian side was held more accountable for their tenacious tactics.
Admitting that the Diamonds struggled to maintain their usual composure while accumulating almost double the number of penalties than the Ferns on Sunday, Alexander said it was something she had addressed and planned to have a conversation with the umpires prior to the first centre pass.
The Diamonds accumulated 81 penalties on Sunday. Photo / Photosport
"What really cost us was those basic errors and the umpires can only do what they do and if we're dropping balls and stepping ... we need to address that, that's our basics that we need to address," she said.
"We've got a few questions that we would like to ask around our defenders especially, we felt we've adjusted but we need to find out what further adjustments we need to make.
"It's been a very stark change coming over here ... 40 more penalties is not acceptable."
A fresh starting seven, which saw Australian captain Caitlin Bassett on the bench, took to the court in the opening quarter of Sunday's match but a below average performance will likely see Alexander call on her strongest line-up to open game four.
Meanwhile, it is expected that Taurua will stick to the same experienced seven that she has kept on court for the past nine quarters of the series as she seeks to back-up the Ferns' first positive outcome since April's disastrous Commonwealth Games campaign.
The transtasman showdown will tip off on Thursday night at 7:40pm.
Silver Ferns goal shoot Grace Nweke speaks about the Constellation Cup series and the rivalry against the Diamonds in the final match. Video / Alyse Wright
