Laura Langman, Casey Kopua in Silver Ferns Noeline Taurua tipped to coach
FORMER Swifts player Laura Langman and ex-skipper Casey Kopua are back in the New Zealand netball team with increased speculation Sunshine Coast Lightning’s Noeline Taurua will be the new Silver Ferns coach.
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FORMER Swifts player Laura Langman and ex-skipper Casey Kopua are back in the New Zealand netball team with increased speculation Sunshine Coast Lightning’s Noeline Taurua will be the new Silver Ferns coach.
Taurua will lead Lightning into Sunday’s preliminary final against the Giants in Sydney in a replay of last year’s Super Netball Grand Final.
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The winner of the match will earn a spot in the August 26 season decider against West Coast Fever in Perth.
Lighting won last year’s Super Netball title with Taurua at the helm and Langman, a former NSW Swifts player, in the side.
“I think for international netball it is great to see Laura back,” said Australian coach Lisa Alexander.
“I’m not thrilled, because we have to match up against her, but at the but at the same time you always want the best players against you.”
It was Langman’s decision to play in the Australian league which prevented her being selected in the Silver Ferns Commonwealth Games 12 - a team which missed out on a netball medal of any colour for the first time in Games history.
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It is unknown if Taurua, who is contracted to the club until 2019, would attempt to stay on with Lightning next season if, as expected, she is confirmed as Silver Ferns coach.
Lightning officials this week dismissed the New Zealand rumours.
Janice Southby stepped down as Silver Ferns coach in the wake of the Games disaster.
The new squad named on Wednesday sees Langman, hailed as one of the games leading midcourters, and Kopua significantly bolstering experience levels with 242 caps between them.
Australia will meet the new-look Ferns in the Quad series in September and then the annual Constellation Cup between Australia and New Zealand in October.