Dame Noeline Taurua to miss Silver Ferns series

Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua won’t be courtside for the start of this week’s Commonwealth Games warmup series in Auckland after catching Covid-19.

Dame Noeline Taurua with the Silver Ferns
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The Netball World Cup-winning coach is aiming to link up with the team later this week, following her completed self-isolation and series of negative testing.

Assistant coach Debbie Fuller will step into the head coach role with Reinga Bloxham, who was due to guide the New Zealand A side, to act as her assistant.

The New Zealand A team will now be co-coached by Marianne Delaney-Hoshek and Yvette McCausland-Durie in the series, which also features matches against the NZ Men and a NZ Mixed Invitational team.

Netball NZ Head of High Performance Keir Hansen said while it was hugely disappointing not to have Taurua with the Silver Ferns, they had prepared for various scenarios in the current climate.

“Covid is very much still playing a part in the sporting landscape and our planning leading into the Cadbury Netball Series included the options we would need to take if management were affected,” he said.

“Dame Noeline will remain in touch with the team remotely and will return as soon as she is allowed to. But this will also be an opportunity for our High Performance coaches to step into the breach and continue the hard work to prepare our athletes for the Commonwealth Games.”

Fuller, who was Taurua’s assistant at the successful 2019 Netball World Cup campaign, said she was happy to step up in the absence of the Silver Ferns head coach.

“The Cadbury Netball Series is a really important part of our preparation for this month’s Commonwealth Games, so our goals remain the same as far as getting as much out of these matches as possible ahead of our trip to Birmingham for this pinnacle sporting event,” she said.

“I’m looking forward to working with Reinga to ensure we don’t miss a beat in our build-up to the Games and we can’t wait for Dame Noeline to return to camp once she has completed her Covid protocols.”

Cadbury Netball Series: Takanini, Auckland

Wednesday, 13 July

6pm – NZ Men v Mixed Invitational

8pm – Silver Ferns v NZA

Thursday, 14 July

6pm – Mixed Invitational v NZA

8pm – Silver Ferns v NZ Men

Friday, 15 July

6pm – NZA v NZ Men

8pm – Silver Ferns v Mixed International

Saturday, 16 July

2pm – 3rd v 4th

4pm – 1st v 2nd