Netball: Twosome grab opportunity to shine

Silver Ferns defender Leana de Bruin said she and room mate Maria Tutaia "giggled like little girls" when they were told they were starting in the opening test against Australia in Brisbane.

In a bold move, Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken opted to start with 19-year-old Tutaia at goal attack instead of the experienced Belinda Colling, and de Bruin was rewarded for her outstanding form in National Bank Cup, which she carried through into the New Zealand camp with a start at goal defence.

The move proved a master stroke. The agile and explosive de Bruin contributed to the meltdown of the Australian attack, and at the other end of the court, the slick Tutaia left the Australian defence bewildered as she shot goals like she was playing in her 50th test against the Australians rather than her first.

Tutaia is in her second year with the New Zealand team. De Bruin, 29. was part of the victorious 2003 world championship team and before that played 34 games for South Africa.

But New Zealand's depth in defence has left her watching most of her side's titanic battles against Australia from the bench.

She came on in the second half of the Silver Ferns' 25-goal drubbing of Australia last October, and had played against them for South Africa, but had never started for New Zealand until Saturday.

"When I played against them for South Africa we always got thrashed and you have got that in the back of your mind, but with quality around you, you know you'll be all right."

If starting against Australia wasn't nerve racking enough, de Bruin also had to confront the fast and furious Sharelle McMahon, widely regarded as the best goal attack in the world.

"She is very fast, and being a tall defender I am not that fast. I knew I couldn't get caught chasing her because that allows her to spin around me.

"I just had to wait for her to get in the circle because that is where she has to shoot. It was just a matter of switching with Vili [Davu] and making sure that we had the pockets covered where she wanted to go."

The tactic worked a treat as the Australian attack became hesitant in and around the shooting circle and as a result had to make several positional changes.

De Bruin was benched at halftime but returned late in the third quarter, replacing Anna Scarlett who was moved back to goal keep.

De Bruin said both Australian shooting combinations were fast, but she thought McMahon and Susan Pratley were the more challenging.

"They were quite fast at coming around us," she said.

Silver Ferns assistant coach Leigh Gibbs said de Bruin did an outstanding job.

She said de Bruin read the game extremely well and had worked on the physical side of her game, becoming an expert at securing intercepts in and around the shooting circle

With five defenders in the side, de Bruin certainly gives Gibbs and coach Ruth Aitken plenty to ponder before the second and final test tomorrow night.

LEANA DE BRUIN

Positions: GD, GK
Height: 190m
Born: 09/07/1977
Occupation: Student
National Bank Cup Team: Force
Caps: 15
South Africa Caps: 34
Playing history: Silver Ferns Squad: 2002-2006
Silver Ferns Debut: February 2003 UK Tour
National Bank Cup: Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 2003- 2004, Force 2005-2006, Shakers 2002, Sting 2001

MARIA TUTAIA

Positions: GA, GS
Height: 187m
Born: 18/02/1987
Occupation: Student
National Bank Cup Team: Diamonds
Caps: 8
Playing history: Silver Ferns Squad 2005-2006, NZU21 Squad 2004-2005
Silver Ferns Debut: 2005 v England
National Bank Cup: Diamonds 2005-2006