THE first day of the New Zealand Netball Cadbury Series is done and dusted as the New Zealand Men’s and Silver Ferns both walk away with maiden wins in their respective matches. Thoroughly challenged by the NZA side early, the Silver Ferns showcased their class to grind out the final quarter and push for the win while the Men’s team flexed their muscles against the Under 21s.

New Zealand Under 21 (44) defeated by New Zealand Men’s (73)

The game was played with plenty of speed and intensity as the ball zipped up and down the court within the blink of an eye for both sides. The Under 21s drew first blood and really asserted themselves on the game with a three goal to zip start. However, they could not maintain that intensity for a full four quarters as the Men’s side started to kick into gear and find their rhythm to run out with an impressive 29-goal victory. They led at every change and while scrappy in patches, showcased their netball smarts and back-up play to chase down loose balls and pile on the pressure. The speed of ball movement was crucial for both sides as they flicked the ball around to catch defenders off-guard and not give them a chance to settle into a routine. The Under 21s showed plenty of grit and determination, working in overdrive to slow down the quick release into the circle and create opportunities for their shooters under the post however they simply could not match the physical prowess of the Men’s side.

The contest between Junior Levi and Taneisha Fifita was enthralling with neither player willing to take a backwards step. Despite roughly a 30-centimetre height difference between the two, Fifita made life hard for the towering goal shooter, thriving off the physical nature and getting a couple of crucial wins to finish the game with three intercepts, three gains and six deflections. Levi also starred in his own right with a whopping 47 goals from 52 attempts at 90 per cent accuracy, highlighting just how explosive he can be. The speed of Cameron Powell was mind-blowing to watch as he spent time in both wing attack and goal attack and carved up the court with his sheer footspeed and spin on the ball to bypass defenders time and time again. His connection with captain Kruze Tangira was virtually unstoppable as the duo combined seamlessly around circle edge to thread the needle or bomb it long into Levi under the post. Powell and Tangira combined for 36 goal assists in a highly impressive showing. Defensively, Jake Schuster was one to watch throughout the clash, taking full advantage of his long arms and hands over pressure to win ball back collecting a staggering 16 gains – seven of which were intercepts – displaying his impressive read of the play and clean instincts. His partnership with Timothy Apisai was also impressive, working in tandem to shut down the space and cause havoc.

For the Under 21s, Saviour Tui grew with confidence throughout the match, showcasing her athleticism and confidence to go to post despite the long reaching arms of Apisai and Schuster. Tui backed herself in and used her footwork to edge closer to the post while her adaptability to combine with the changing goal attacks was also credit to her composed nature. Tui was the most prolific goaler for the Under 21s with 22 goals from 27 attempts while Khiarna Williams plied her trade out in goal attack and did not disappoint, slotting 10 goals. Captain Tiana Metuarau was a real general across the court, starting in goal attack and then swinging into wing attack with great ease. She released the ball with confidence and accuracy into Tui and Williams amassing 20 goal assists while her connection with teammate and co-captain Renee Savai’inaea was on show throughout the contest. Fifita was electric in defence as was Parris Mason with the soon to be 18-year-old contesting everything in the air and showcasing her elite balance to reel in four intercepts and a rebound.

Silver Ferns (59) defeated New Zealand A (44)

There was no shortage of class across the court as the Silver Ferns and New Zealand A went head to head in a closer battle than the scoreboard reflects. The Ferns steadily built on their lead after being challenged early credit to a strong second and third quarter where they piled on the scoreboard pressure. Both sides proved they were not afraid to throw the bibs around, trying out new combinations and tinkering with line-ups to find the best fit. It was somewhat of a scrappy start to the match with a held ball early and a well-timed rejection on the shot from Erena Mikaere sending the ball to ping pong around the court, before both sides settled into their groove. It was goal for goal for majority of the opening term but a couple of wholesale changes to the frontend in particular for the Ferns gave them the ascendancy, able to work the ball down the court with greater ease and hit the scoreboard while NZA struggled to combat the Ferns’ new-found energy across the court.

Monica Falkner starred on return from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, especially in that first quarter relishing the extra space Karin Burger was giving her, entering the goal circle with great speed. She showcased athleticism on the take to get up to those high balls and most importantly was accurate finishing with 11 goals from 14 attempts. Aliyah Dunn found herself out in the unfamiliar position of goal attack for much of the fourth quarter, a move that sparked plenty of interest and did not affect her accuracy. Ellie Bird was the main source of scoreboard pain for NZA with the towering goal shooter piling on 23 goals from 26 attempts in her 38 minutes of netball, credit to her strong holds under the post and commanding nature. Through the midcourt the speed of Maddy Gordon was crucial with the wing attack working in overdrive at the centre pass and around circle edge to create attacking forays and deliver the ball on a silver platter, racking up a team-high 10 goal assists. Tayla Earle was a consistent threat in centre pairing up with teammate Kate Heffernan to clog the midcourt. Defensively, Kate Burley and Mikaere were a dynamic duo getting hands to a wealth of ball for a combined nine gains, two of them intercepts thanks to their lanky arms and aerial abilities.

The Silver Ferns showcased their plethora of young talent especially under the goal post with Grace Nweke making her debut appearance in the black dress. Nweke starred with her composure, strength on the rebound and quick footwork to consistently reposition and demand the ball from the likes of Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Ameliaranne Ekenasio. Nweke led the way with 22 goals but was down on her usual accuracy at 79 per cent while fellow goal shooter Maia Wilson shone bright in her half of netball with 21 goals from 24 attempts. Kimiora Poi injected that dynamism in the Ferns front half with her quick give and go along with her impressive vision to set up the triangle play while Shannon Saunders was that experienced head as they combined for 21 goal assists. Down back the Ferns chopped and changed but that did not stop them from winning ball back as Sulu Fitzpatrick led the charge with an impressive five gains, two of them intercepts, credit to her body positioning and leap. The intimidating long arms of Kelly Jury also paid dividends picking up three intercepts as Jane Watson amassed three gains.

Upcoming matches:

New Zealand A v. New Zealand Under 21
Both sides are still looking for their first win of the Cadbury Series so expect plenty of intensity and excitement out on court. Many have played together throughout the ANZ Premiership season and will be looking to exploit each others’ weaknesses to claim the win here. Tui will be one to watch for the Under 21s given her prolific nature under the post and is likely to match up against the in-form Mikaere making for an enticing battle.

Silver Ferns v. New Zealand Men’s
Sitting at one win apiece the Ferns and Men’s sides will be hoping to keep their unbeaten record intact making for a high intensity match. The last time these two sides met in 2019 the contest between Watson and Levi lived up to the hype with both leaving no stone unturned and fighting for every single pass, making that contest one to watch this time around.