DAY 3 of the Cadbury Series saw New Zealand Men’s claim a clean sweep, downing New Zealand A and progressing through to the grand final while the Silver Ferns got back onto the winners list in convincing fashion against the Under 21s, making relatively light work of the youngsters.

New Zealand Men (64) defeated New Zealand A (37)

It was one way traffic for majority of the game as New Zealand Men’s led at every change credit to their defensive pressure and speedy ball movement. But they really flexed their muscles in the second quarter with a prominent 21 goal to seven term, shutting down NZA at every turn. Although there were moments of magic from NZA they simply could not keep up with the Men’s side who exerted precision and versatility to constantly keep their opponents guessing. The full court pressure stemming from the Men’s was incredibly hard for NZA to combat, forced to throw the ball around and subsequently provide further opportunities for the Men’s side to create turnovers and score. It was relatively close in both the first and third quarters highlighting NZA’s ability to weather the storm.

Aliyah Dunn had her work cut out for in the opening term, with Levi making her work for every pass and applying a wealth of physical pressure. She was plagued with inaccuracy and struggled to find her range from under the post only managing 14 goals from 21 attempts at a lowly 68 per cent, which is uncommon for the dominant goal shooter. The long arms of the defenders also got into the head of Ellie Bird who was unable to build a wealth of scoreboard pressure nailing 10 goals from 16 attempts while Jamie Hume showcased her gameplay out the front with 10 goal assists to accompany her 13 goals in a strong showing for the goal attack. out in wing defence Kate Heffernan had a game to remember not overawed by the speed of the ball and bigger bodied players instead thriving off it, going out hunting and collecting a wealth of ball. She finished with an impressive four intercepts and four deflections credit to her speed off the mark, read of the play and long arms. Defensively Kate Burley also impressed for NZA contesting every pass and leaving nothing to chance picking up two intercepts and six deflections in her 45 minutes on court. The speed through the midcourt was crucial however with Maddy Gordon and Whitney Souness both on the shorter side they had to work in overdrive for every pass and to get around the long arms of the likes of Sheridan Wills. The NZA duo managed 18 goal assists between them while Gordon showcased her defensive attributes picking up two gains.

It was once again a Junior Levi show as the New Zealand bigman walked away with player of the match honours thanks to his impressive versatility and sheer dominance. He managed 14 goals from 15 attempts and proved he was no one-trick pony using his speed and height to be a real menace under the post. Quintin Gerber was hard to stop under the post given his height and long reach to continuously reel ball in and most importantly score at an accurate rate sitting at 89 per cent with 24 goals to his name. The ball placement from captain Kruze Tangira was second to none, able to slice through the mess and deliver it on a silver platter to the goalers. Much like Levi, Tangira also highlighted his versatility swinging into that goal attack position in the final quarter, nailing five goals from nine attempts while finishing the game with 14 goal assists to his name. Cameron Powell also set the court alight with his ability to give and go, read of the play and confidence to release the ball long while also displaying his accuracy under the pot with 12 goals from 15 attempts. Deepak Patu also impressed in the win for the Men’s seeming to have the ball on a string particularly in the attacking third notching up a game-high 19 goal assists thanks to his impressive vision and quick hands to dish the ball off. Jake Schuster was a star in defence getting hands to a wealth of ball and combining well with Timothy Apisai for 11 gains with the latter registering four intercepts.

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New Zealand Silver Ferns (81) defeated New Zealand Under 21s (33)

It was a complete and utter demolition from the Silver Ferns when they took on the up-and-coming talent of the New Zealand Under 21s, barrelling through the opening half to down the 21s by 48 goals. While the 21s started strong, drawing first blood off the opening centre pass and matching the intensity for the first five or so minutes, the Ferns switched on and did not look back in what was a confidence-boosting victory for the side. Much of the huge blowout scoreline came down to the second quarter, which saw the Ferns shoot 25 goals to the 21s’ lowly six, and while the Ferns had a youngster of their own on court in Grace Nweke, the 21s featured plenty of young guns who could not compete with the world champions. The ever-consistent Ferns outfit are tough to stop when they get going and proved once again that not only they, but also the NZ pathways, are a force to be reckoned with given the performances of some of the youngsters on court. A solid second half from the 21s will give them confidence going into this afternoon’s match against New Zealand A, with much of the starting seven rested throughout the Ferns game and making for an intriguing contest.

The Ferns were without a couple of sharpshooters throughout the match but did not skip a beat, with captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio on the bench due to load management while Monica Falkner returned to the Ferns side again after playing with the NZ A team the day before. Falkner continued to prove she has well and truly picked up from where she left off prior to injury, shooting 25 goals at 89 per cent, racking up 15 goal assists and collecting an outstanding intercept, combining easily with Nweke and Maia Wilson (both 28 from 33 at 85 per cent). Shannon Saunders also found circle edge with ease for 15 assists, while Gina Crampton came out flying with 20 assists, 10 centre pass receives to lead the pack and just the one turnover showcasing her clean hands. Defensively, a plethora of options rotated through with Sulu Fitzpatrick showcasing her impressive timing with three intercepts, while both Kelly Jury and midcourter Claire Kersten finished with two apiece.

For the Under 21s, while it was a disappointing match there were plenty of pros to take out of it with Saviour Tui, Khiarna Williams and Hannah Glen all shooting at roughly the same accuracy as the Ferns, just not quite getting the same volume of ball. There was a real lack of movement up forward from the young guns, unable to contend with the amount of experience on court. Continued penalties – 66 to the Ferns’ 39 – hurt the side’s momentum and confidence as the match went on, struggling to convert off their minimal turnovers. That being said, defenders Parris Mason, Paris Lokotui, Taneisha Fifita and Jessie Taylor did not once relent on the pressure, and while the side finished with seven gains to the Ferns’ 18, more careful ball-use and movement in the future will pay dividends especially with Nweke back in the side post-Cadbury Series.

Upcoming matches:

New Zealand A v. New Zealand Under 21

Having played only days ago expect the battle between the two sides to once again go down to the wire, considering they have had more time to gel together as a team and solidify connections. Although the Under 21s are yet to register a win, they would love the opportunity to finish on a high and showcase their extreme talent, while NZA will want to cap off an up and down season with their second victory. The Under 21s will be familiar with the way Nweke plays so expect the likes of Mason and Fifita to be on the hunt early and limit any chance of the ball coming into her. Tiana Metuarau is a real barometer for the Under 21s and someone they look to to stand up in the big moments and deliver along with Tui making for an exciting battle.

Silver Ferns v. New Zealand Men’s

New Zealand Men’s side will be looking to make it four straight and walk away with bragging rights against the Silver Ferns who struggled to get their game up and running on Day 2 when the two sides met. The Ferns have proven they are not afraid to throw the bibs around and try out new combinations while the Men have showcased their impressive ball speed across the court and precision passing. Levi is the one to stop for the Men’s given his versatility to change from goal shooter to goal keeper in a heartbeat and have a profound impact while for the Ferns it will be up to Jane Watson, Jury and co to stand up to the plate if they are to get the win.