World Seven 48
Silver Ferns 44
The Silver Ferns have kicked off their international season on a horror note, suffering an embarrassing defeat to the World Seven team cobbled together just days ago.
The Silver Ferns produced an untidy, and at times bumbling, performance in their defeat in Wellington last night. It was a performance so poor against an under-prepared team that questions will be asked in the coming days about the direction in which New Zealand netball is headed.
Australian coach Norma Plummer, who watched the train wreck unfold from the stands, will likely feel very comfortable with her side's prospects heading into their five-test series against New Zealand next month.
The Kiwi side will need to pick themselves up and respond in emphatic style in Rotorua tomorrow if they are to save their season.
Although the world team had just a few days together to prepare for the clash, they looked a much more cohesive unit than the New Zealand side.
English defenders Geva Mentor and Sonia Mkoloma were always going to pose a huge threat, but it was the dominance of the attack end that surprised, with Cathrine Latu and Megan Dehn combining superbly in the shooting circle.
As is generally the case with the opening test of the year, there was plenty of speculation in the lead up over the make-up of Ruth Aitken's line-up - particularly in the midcourt, where the selectors were faced with an embarrassment of riches.
Returning Fern Temepara George was given the nod at centre, earning her 60th test cap after a two-year break. Laura Langman was pushed back to her more familiar role of wing defence, while Liana Barrett-Chase took up the wing attack bib.
The new combination looked far from slick in the opening quarter, with a number of unforced errors putting the Ferns on the back foot early on. Along with basic errors, such as breaking calls going against the Ferns, they also struggled to convert their shots at goal, with the long levers of Mentor and Mkoloma causing Maria Tutaia, in particular, a few problems. Tutaia shot at just 57 per cent in the opening spell.
With the world shooters having no such problems putting the ball through the net, the visitors held a 13-12 lead at the first break.
That lead quickly grew to five goals in the opening minutes of the second spell, as again mistakes through the midcourt cost the Ferns dearly.
Australian midcourter Peta Scholz, who retired from international netball back in 2005, looked as if she had never been away from the top level, keeping Barrett-Chase very quiet.
By halftime the World Seven held a 25-22 lead and things were looking decidedly shaky for the home team.
A change to the Ferns' defensive end in the third period looked to spark a mini-resurgence from the Kiwi side, with Joline Henry making an immediate impact at goal defence in place of Katrina Grant.
With Tutaia finding her range down the other end of the court, the Ferns took the lead for the first time in the match five minutes into the third period.
But it was a shortlived resurgence, as again the hard-working midcourt defence in the world team forced the Ferns into error after error. With Latu calmly slotting the goals down the other end of the court, the tourists soon extended their lead back out to four, which they maintained heading in to the final period.
Maree Bowden was introduced for the New Zealanders at wing attack in the fourth quarter in place of the expensive Barrett-Chase, but the Tactix star proved just as costly.
SILVER FERNS INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE:
Wed August 26: v World 7, Energy Events Centre, Rotorua
Sat August 29: v World 7, The Trusts Stadium Arena, Waitakere
Sun September 6: v Australia, ACER Arena, Sydney
Wed September 9: v Australia, Hisense Arena, Melbourne
Sun September 13: v Australia, BCEC, Brisbane
Sun September 20: v Australia, Stadium Southland, Invercargill
Wed September 23: v Australia, Vector Arena, Auckland
