Netball: Dame Noeline Taurua takes blame for loss to England B-team, talks future

Dame Noeline Taurua says England were better than the Silver Ferns on Sunday but she takes “100 per cent” responsibility for the result.

The Silver Ferns fought back in the fourth quarter of their opening Taini Jamison Trophy match in Christchurch but lost 54-55.

It came after both coach Taurua and Netball New Zealand chief executive Jenny Wylie voiced disappointment in the Roses choosing to effectively send a B-team to contest the series, with their World Cup players afforded some downtime.

The Ferns were left chasing the game after a terrible second quarter in which England outscored them by seven goals, including a 10-minute span in which the visitors went on a 16-6 run.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s D’Arcy Waldegrave, Taurua said the Ferns failed to adapt to England’s strategy.

“We didn’t fire until the fourth quarter. Probably if I, if I look at the on-court defence, we never put enough pressure on right from the start, gave them too much space. Also, you know, giving credit to the [English] attacking end, they pulled us wide. We didn’t adapt. So we need to have more pressure or to be able to contest the ball and be a bit more mobile.

England's Sasha Glasgow pulls down a pass during the Taini Jamison Trophy match in Christchurch. Photo / Photosport

“In attack, we did better than we did in the Netball World Cup and our figures show that, but when the pressure is on, we end up with individual errors that cost us. England were better.”

Taurua took responsibility for the surprise defeat, saying it was her programme and she was looking into how she could work with the players better. However she says, despite the weakened England team, the Ferns didn’t take their job any less seriously.

“We did all the opposition analysis; we did everything that we needed to do. We didn’t turn up and didn’t bring that same high level of energy that we needed in an international match. And once again, that cost us, we produced the goods too late and they rolled us.”

Taurua, who became coach of the Silver Ferns in 2018, led the team when it won the 2018 Fast5 Netball World Series and that against-the-odds 2019 Netball World Cup triumph, then finished third at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Taurua’s head coaching contract ends in November and she says she understands that people might be questioning her future in the role. But first and foremost, Taurua was thinking about how the team could win their second Taini Jamison match that takes place today at 7.30pm in Porirua before the third match on Saturday night in Hamilton.

“The next Taini Jamison game is a must-have and for us to be able to win the trophy [and] we need game number three. So my head at the moment is in this test, the next test [and the] Constellation Cup [which starts on October 12]. As time progresses, I’ll be thinking am I the right fit? Am I not? Do I want it? Do I not? But those questions will have to be answered after the Constellation Cup.”

Luke Kirkness is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He previously covered consumer affairs for the Herald and was an assistant news director in the Bay of Plenty. He won Student Journalist of the Year in 2019.