Super Netball: Legendary Silver Ferns coach to join NSW Swifts for specialist consultancy

One of netball’s greatest coaches will join the NSW Swifts next week for a short-term specialist consultancy in a coup for the Super Netball club.

The NSW Swifts have scored a coaching coup with Silver Ferns mentor Dame Noeline Taurua to join the club in a specialist consultancy role.

Taurua will join the club for nine days from next week in a professional development appointment that will be beneficial to both the World Cup and Super Netball premiership winner and the Swifts.

Taurua, who led the Sunshine Coast Lightning to back-to-back Super Netball titles in the opening two years of the competition in 2017-18 is the only two-time premiership coach in the competition besides Swifts mentor Akle, who guided the Sydney-based side to championships in 2019 and 2021.

Taurua is well known to Akle, who acted as the Kiwis’ assistant at the Netball Nations Cup in England at the start of the year in her own professional development stint.

Dame Noeline Taurua will join the Swifts for just over a week. Picture: Russell Freeman/Getty Images

Akle welcomed Taurua to the Swifts family.

“Our game has produced many wonderful coaches, but few are as decorated as Noeline and we are always looking for way to freshen up how we do things,” Akle said.

“I had the pleasure of being part of her wider Silver Ferns team and got a wonderful insight into how she works.

“But I also know it’s a two-way street and Noeline wouldn’t have had the success she’s enjoyed by not being open-minded and looking to learn from as many people as possible.

“When you look at the most successful clubs across all codes, their coaching teams have consistently innovated and challenged themselves, both in terms of methods and also personnel.

“Our team here at the Swifts have achieved a huge amount and Noeline is coming on board to compliment the brilliant work they are already doing.”

Taurua, who went through the process of reapplying for the Ferns job earlier this year and has always been open to taking on new challenges, said she was both honoured and excited to be joining the Swifts.

Taurua providing her words of wisdom to her New Zealand team in 2023. Picture: Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

“I have long had a huge respect for the Swifts and their history and legacy and enjoyed many great battles with them as an opposition coach down the years,” she said.

“To echo what Briony said, I believe if you aren’t learning daily you are standing still and this is a new challenge I am ready to embrace.

“With three Grand Finals in the last five years and two titles, the Swifts are already doing a lot of great things and I am really looking forward to contributing in any way I can.

“It was fantastic having Briony in our Silver Ferns camp recently and I am honoured to have the opportunity to be part of the team she’s leading in Sydney.”

After five rounds the Swifts sit fourth on the Super Netball ladder and are looking to bounce back from consecutive losses when they host the Giants in the NSW derby at Ken Rosewall Arena on Sunday.

Originally published as Super Netball: Legendary Silver Ferns coach to join NSW Swifts for specialist consultancy