Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua at the 2023 Netball World Cup © Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix/ www.photosport.nz © Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix/ www.photosport.nz Photo: BackPage / www.photosport.nz
Substitutions may have backfired on the Silver Ferns who were held to a thrilling 48-all draw by South Africa at the Netball World Cup in Cape Town.
If the Silver Ferns lose to Jamaica tonight in their final group game they can still make the semi-finals but they will have to wait for final confirmation.
The Proteas would need to beat Uganda later in the day by a large number of goals, as the Silver Ferns have a superior goal percentage.
The Silver Ferns have to regroup quickly, with their game against Jamaica at 9pm (NZT).
Silver Ferns' coach Dame Noeline Taurua said the game came down to critical moments.
"I think also we had ball in hand in that last centre pass, probably had 30 seconds which we could have drained that clock but didn't," Dame Noeline said.
As she has all tournament the New Zealand coach made a number of changes, including bringing Whitney Souness on for Gina Crampton near the end of the second quarter.
At the same time she continued with the experiment of playing Kelly Jury at wing defence.
Early in the third quarter the Silver Ferns had an eight goal lead, their biggest of the game.
With three minutes left in the third quarter, the relatively inexperienced Tiana Metuarau came on for captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio.
Kelly Jury during the Constellation Cup netball series 2022. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Dame Noeline said she was happy with some changes.
"It's probably one of the things that we can look at, it's also people having the ability to perform under pressure and that's the only way they can learn those sort of skills unless you're out there."
She thought Metuarau created nice space initially.
"It was probably about the last three or four minutes [of the game] then before you know it sort of went like how it did so up to that point I felt comfortable [with Metuarau there]."
Defensively, she thought her side picked up a lot of ball.
"And when you look at the stats …we had something like 55 percent possession, our shooting percentages were something like 90 percent."
She said they had to take the draw on the chin.
Dame Noeline didn't like to be drawn on whether her side cracked under the pressure of the crowd.
"I hate the word crack coz I think that's disrespectful to people.
"I think there were areas that people could have done better but that's how it goes.
"When we needed to turn over in that last 30 seconds or hold the ball we didn't. Those are the things that we need to just keep learning and moving forward."
Tiana Metuarau Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Given that Jamaica beat South Africa 67-49, it will take a mammoth effort for the Silver Ferns to beat the Sunshine Girls.
And the woefully under strength Jamaican side that came to New Zealand in September for two tests did not do the Silver Ferns any favours.
It barely resembles the team now - only three of those players are in Cape Town.
Last year the Silver Ferns had to play for Commonwealth Games bronze after Jamaica thrashed them 67-51 in the semi-final.
Latanya Wilson and Shamera Sterling put the squeeze on the New Zealand attacking end and a stunned New Zealand found themselves 18-9 down after the first quarter.
Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua said a strong start was imperative.
"We also remember the experience we had in Commonwealth Games against them which they hit hard right from the start, we coughed up the first couple of balls so that's something that we've been talking about and working on …it's going to be pure discipline and our ability to fight for every ball."
She said they could rectify things from the South African game.
"We are getting enough ball defensively, we've got to be able to take it through …we still have to take the body on or take the line a bit better and when we do that we get the penalty pulled.
"There were times that we put the ball into our shooting end hard high and lifted, I didn't believe that was necessary, so those little things at certain times are costly."
Shamera Sterling Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Jamaica's specialist defensive coach also happens to be assistant coach of ANZ Premiership champions, the Northern Mystics.
Rob Wright said he was devastated for Mystics shooter Grace Nweke, who had to pull out of the World Cup through injury.
"She's such a weapon and a great kid, first World Cup and she's just going to be a super star so very disappointed for her personally and the Silver Ferns, you never want to see one of their big key players go down with an injury," Wright said.
Wright believed the Silver Ferns could still be very effective without Nweke and put out any number of combinations.
"Knowing Dame Noeline, you never know, I expect it to be Ekenasio with someone, I'm not sure because they've got some choice. They'll probably go with Maia Wilson but we'll prepare for every combination they probably can think of."
Wright, who has been with Jamaica for about 18 months said they learnt some lessons after last year's Commonwealth Games, when Jamaica just fell short against Australia in the final 55-51.
"We've tried to rotate, that's what we've probably done more than we did at Commonwealth Games. It's certainly a lesson we learnt that probably we didn't give enough rest to enough players and come the business end of the tournament we want to make sure that they're fresh so I think we've done that much better."
