Australian netball Diamonds wary of New Zealand in netball series finale
A FORMER coach says the Silver Ferns can no longer consider themselves the second best team in netball but Australian won’t be taking them any less seriously.
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A FORMER New Zealand netball coach says the Silver Ferns can no longer consider themselves the second best team in the world but Australian captain Caitlin Bassett says the Diamonds won’t be taking them any less seriously than usual in Sunday night’s Quad series finale.
The Silver Ferns’ seven-goal loss to England last week — the third to the Roses in six months - prompted former boss Yvonne Willering, who coached between 1997 and 2001, to label the Silver Ferns attack as “too predictable’’ in a New Zealand interview.
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Bassett believes New Zealand are as dangerous as ever — if not more so after Australian cleansweep their last series with the Silver Ferns late last year.
“Even though we beat them 4-0 in the Constellation Cup last that won’t mean anything,’’ Bassett said.
“In fact we expect them to come out harder than ever because of that.
“They will want to get us before the Commonwealth Games.’’
The Silver Ferns, who blew a six goal lead I their loss to England last weekend, are currently ranked No.2 in the world behind Australia.
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But in recent times they have lost more games than they have won thanks to England beating them in both the current and the 2017 Quad series and then Australia’s rout of the side in the following Constellation Cup.
But New Zealand were also the only team to take a win off Australia in 2017 with their 57-47 victory in the 2017 Quad series delivering them the title.
Australia and New Zealand will meet in Johannesburg in the final game of the Netball Quad series at 9pm Sunday (ADST).
The match will be broadcast on 9Gem.
Originally published as Australian netball Diamonds wary of New Zealand in netball series finale