Louisa Wall: It's a great time to be a Kiwi

When is this cycle of inspiration going to end? Maybe after the September 3 All Blacks v Wallaby final Tri-Nations match, if at all this year.

It started with Norm Hewitt, and then Michael Campbell's US Open victory. Then the All Blacks' first test victory against the Lions. And now Ruth Aitken and her Silver Fern team have demolished the Australians in the one-off netball test in Sydney.

Ferns coach Ruth Aitken said it all after the victory. "It's a great time to be a Kiwi at the moment and we have to be sure that we continue that great feeling." Ain't that the truth!

Tickets were at a premium in Sydney for the netball and it was fantastic to see a sold-out venue. After that performance, tickets for the second test at Trusts Stadium, in Henderson on October 29, will be selling fast.

The All Blacks victory was sweet and certainly answered a few questions, not only about the Lions, but about ourselves. It is exciting to hear the All Blacks talk about achieving goals they have set themselves in terms of how they play the game, irrelevant of the opposition.

Who cares who we play, we are gonna do our thing!

And the tragic Brian O'Driscoll incident that took up a lot of time and obviously was used to try to occupy our minds this week might just backfire again. I could not see how the coaching staff had the luxury of focusing on such matters as they prepared for the second test.

Poor O'Driscoll. Oh to be used in such a way and to be driven to slating Tana Umaga, who we all know is a good guy. Can't wait for that light to be switched on, most probably back in Ireland.

I like the changes to the All Blacks. Byron Kelleher needs a shot before the Tri-Nations and Rico Gear and Mils Muliaina have the goods. I hope we see them not just wait for opportunities but create some from the possession our set pieces will generate.

The Silver Ferns looked completely unified and the intensity of the battle was evident throughout the court. Netball has become like basketball with a lot more accepted and applied body contact.

Skill is one thing but as the freedom to express oneself on the netball court has developed over time, it is not so uncommon to see these athletes dive on the ball and commit their bodies to gaining possession of the netball, even if it means they will end up face first on the court.

The Silver Ferns needed this victory to reverse the result of their last game against Australia in November 2004 and the changes to the Silver Ferns since then certainly made a difference.

New Zealand under-21 captain and Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic player Laura Langman won special praise from coach Aitken and it was completely justified.

Langman played with the poise and maturity of a more experienced player and she has a long future in the Silver Ferns. Her consistency and tenacity will ensure some stability in the mid-court and it is exciting as we look towards next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

And finally, Irene van Dyk in her world record-equalling 128th test was superb yet again, with 36 goals from 38 attempts to ensure the Silver Ferns converted possession into goals.

As Aussie coach Norma Plummer commented, it was a brutal test, but to say it wasn't netball because they lost, and to bag the umpires is just not cricket. Can't wait for the slow-mos and the associated press conference. Sorry, wrong coach.

* Louisa Wall is a former NZ rugby and netball representative.