The New Zealand national netball team, commonly known as the Silver Ferns ( or ), represent Netball New Zealand in international netball tournaments such as the Netball World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the Taini Jamison Trophy, the Constellation Cup, the Netball Quad Series and the Fast5 Netball World Series. They have also represented New Zealand at the World Games. New Zealand made their test debut in 1938. As of 2023, New Zealand have been world champions on five occasions and Commonwealth champions twice. They are regularly ranked number two in the World Netball Rankings.

History Formation and early years On 20 August 1938, New Zealand, captained by Margaret Matangi, made their test debut in an away match against at Australia at Royal Park, Melbourne. Australia defeated New Zealand 40–11. This was the first netball Test between Australia and New Zealand. It was also the world's first international netball match. On 20 August 1948, New Zealand, captained by Oonah Shannahan, hosted their first home test against Australia at Forbury Park. Australia defeated New Zealand 27–16.

Rivalry with Australia New Zealand's main rivals in international netball are Australia. Between 1963 and 2015, the two teams dominated the World Netball Championships and Commonwealth Games tournaments. Since 2010 the two teams have also competed for the Constellation Cup. Notable and memorable clashes have included the finals of the 1991, 1999 and 2011 World Netball Championships, the finals of the 2010 and the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the final match of the 2013 Constellation Cup.

World Netball Rankings New Zealand are regularly ranked number two in the World Netball Rankings. In January 2011, after winning the 2010 Commonwealth Games tournament, they replaced Australia at the top of the rankings for the first time. In 2013 they were again ranked number one. After finishing fourth at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, New Zealand dropped, for the first time in their history, to third. In July 2019, they dropped to fourth. However, after winning the 2019 Netball World Cup, they moved back up to second.

Tournament history Netball World Cup New Zealand have competed at every World Netball Championships and/or Netball World Cup since the inaugural 1963 tournament. At the 1963 tournament, New Zealand were captained by Pamela Edwards, with Lois Muir as vice-captain. Australia defeated New Zealand 37–36 in a closely contested final. After winning the 1967 World Netball Championships, New Zealand were world champions for the first time. The team was coached by Taini Jamison and captained by Judy Blair. In the final they beat Australia 40–43. Joan Harnett emerged as the star for New Zealand and was named player of the tournament. In 1996 the team was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.

At the 1979 World Netball Championships, New Zealand shared the gold medal with Australia and Trinidad and Tobago. After winning the 1987 World Netball Championships, with a team coached by Lois Muir and captained by Leigh Gibbs, New Zealand were world champions for a third time. New Zealand were dominant in group play, winning all eight matches. That saw them advance to a final round with Australia, England and Trinidad and Tobago. New Zealand were the only team to win all three of their games and were subsequently declared world champions. In 1996, the 1987 team was also inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.

At the 2003 World Netball Championships, with a team captained by Anna Rowberry, New Zealand won their fourth title. In the final they defeated Australia 49–47. At the 2003 Halberg Awards, the Silver Ferns won both the main award and were named Team of the Year. Their head coach, Ruth Aitken, was named Coach of the Year and Irene van Dyk, who scored 41 from 43 in the final, was named Sportswoman of the Year.

New Zealand were world champions for a fifth time when, with a team captained by Laura Langman and featuring Casey Kopua and Maria Folau, they won the 2019 Netball World Cup. In just fourteen months, head coach Noeline Taurua turned a team, demoralised at missing out on a medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, into world champions. New Zealand rebounded from a round robin defeat to Australia to defeat them 52–51 in the final. At the 2019 Halberg Awards, the Silver Ferns won both the Halberg Award Supreme and were named Team of the Year. Winning the 2019 Netball World Cup was declared New Zealand's Favourite Sports Moment and Taurua, was named Coach of the Year. The team were also awarded the 2019 Lonsdale Cup.

Tournaments Place1963 World Netball Championships1967 World Netball Championships1971 World Netball Championships1975 World Netball Championships1979 World Netball Championships1983 World Netball Championships1987 World Netball Championships1991 World Netball Championships1995 World Netball Championships1999 World Netball Championships2003 World Netball Championships2007 World Netball Championships2011 World Netball Championships2015 Netball World Cup2019 Netball World Cup2023 Netball World Cup4th

World Games Between 1985 and 1993, New Zealand competed at the World Games, winning two gold and one silver medals. With a team captained by Lyn Parker, New Zealand defeated Australia 39–37 in the final to win the inaugural title. At the 1989 tournament, a New Zealand team captained by Waimarama Taumaunu, defeated Australia 33–29. At the 1989 Halberg Awards, the Silver Ferns were named Team of the Year and their head coach, Lyn Parker, was named Coach of the Year.

Tournaments Place1985 World Games1989 World Games1993 World Games

Commonwealth Games New Zealand has competed at every netball tournament at the Commonwealth Games. In 1990 they lost to Australia in a one-off match when netball was a demonstration sport. Between 1998 and 2014 they played in every tournament final, winning two gold and three silver medals. In 2006 New Zealand won the gold medal for the first time with a 60–55 win over Australia. In 2010, New Zealand, led by Maria Tutaia and Irene van Dyk, won their second gold medal after they defeated Australia 66–64 in an epic encounter. Tutaia scored the winning goal in double extra time after 84 minutes of play. The Silver Ferns were also awarded the 2010 Lonsdale Cup. In 2026 New Zealand defeated Jamaica in the final to claim their first Commonwealth gold medal in 16 years.

Tournaments Place1990 Commonwealth Games2nd1998 Commonwealth Games2002 Commonwealth Games2006 Commonwealth Games2010 Commonwealth Games2014 Commonwealth Games2018 Commonwealth Games4th2022 Commonwealth Games2026 Commonwealth Games

Taini Jamison Trophy Since 2008, Netball New Zealand has hosted the Taini Jamison Trophy. The trophy is contested with visiting teams, other than Australia. Teams to compete have included England, Jamaica, South Africa, Malawi, Fiji and Samoa.

Tournaments Place2008 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2009 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2010 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2011 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2013 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2014 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2015 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2016 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2017 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2018 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2020 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2021 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2022 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2023 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2024 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2025 Taini Jamison Trophy Series

Constellation Cup Since 2010, New Zealand and Australia have competed for the Constellation Cup. New Zealand won the trophy for the first time in 2012 and for a second time in 2021.

Tournaments Place2010 Constellation Cup2011 Constellation Cup2012 Constellation Cup2013 Constellation Cup2014 Constellation Cup2015 Constellation Cup2016 Constellation Cup2017 Constellation Cup2018 Constellation Cup2019 Constellation Cup2021 Constellation Cup2022 Constellation Cup2023 Constellation Cup2024 Constellation Cup2025 Constellation Cup

Netball Quad Series/Netball Nations Cup Since 2012, New Zealand have competed in the Netball Quad Series, playing against Australia, England and South Africa. The Silver Ferns won their first Quad Series title in September 2017. In 2020, the Quad Series was briefly replaced by a Nations Cup tournament. New Zealand won this tournament.

Tournaments Place2012 Netball Quad Series2016 Netball Quad Series2017 Netball Quad Series (January/February)2017 Netball Quad Series (August/September)2018 Netball Quad Series (January)2018 Netball Quad Series (September)2019 Netball Quad Series2020 Netball Nations Cup2022 Netball Quad Series2023 Netball Quad Series2024 Netball Nations Cup

Fast5 Netball World Series Since 2009, the Fast5 Ferns have played in the Fast5 Netball World Series. They have been the dominant team in the series. Between 2009 and 2018, they won seven of the nine tournaments played.

Tournaments Place2009 World Netball Series2010 World Netball Series2011 World Netball Series2012 Fast5 Netball World Series 2013 Fast5 Netball World Series2014 Fast5 Netball World Series2016 Fast5 Netball World Series2017 Fast5 Netball World Series4th 2018 Fast5 Netball World Series2022 Fast5 Netball World Series2023 Fast5 Netball World Series2024 Fast5 Netball World Series

Players Current squad

Notable past players

Most-capped internationals

PlayerAppearancesYearsLaura Langman1652005–2020Maria Folau1502005–2019Irene van Dyk1452000–2014Katrina Rore1372008–2022Casey Kopua (née Williams)1352005–2019Lesley Rumball1101994–2005Leana de Bruin1042003–2016

New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame The following New Zealand netball internationals have been inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.

InductedPlayerAppearancesYears1990Joan Harnett261963–19711993Lois Muir131960–19641996Waimarama Taumaunu771981–19911999Rita Fatialofa451982–19892001Sandra Edge891985–19952016Lesley Rumball1101994–2005

Selected captains The following New Zealand netball internationals captained the team when they won the gold medal at the Netball World Cup, the Commonwealth Games and the World Games.

CaptainsTournamentsJudy Blair1967 World Netball ChampionshipsLyn Gunson1979 World Netball Championships1985 World GamesLeigh Gibbs1987 World Netball ChampionshipsWaimarama Taumaunu1989 World GamesAnna Rowberry2003 World Netball ChampionshipsAdine Wilson2006 Commonwealth GamesCasey Kopua (née Williams)2010 Commonwealth GamesLaura Langman2019 Netball World Cup

Head coaches

Coach YearsMyrtle Muir1938–1948Dixie Cockerton1960–1963Taini Jamison1967–1971Lois Muir1974–1988Lyn Gunson1989–1993Leigh Gibbs1994–1997Yvonne Willering1997–2001Ruth Aitken2002–2011Waimarama Taumaunu2011–2015Janine Southby2015–2018Noeline Taurua2018–

Honours

World Netball Championships/Netball World Cup Winners: 1967, 1979, 1987, 2003, 2019 Runners up: 1963, 1971, 1983, 1991, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2015 Commonwealth Games Winners: 2006, 2010, 2026 Runners Up: 1998, 2002, 2014 Taini Jamison Trophy Winners: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 Runners Up: 2009, 2018, 2021, 2024 Constellation Cup Winners: 2012, 2021, 2024 Runners Up: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 Netball Quad Series/Netball Nations Cup Winners: 2017 (August/September), 2020 Runners Up: 2012, 2016, 2017 (January/February), 2023 World Games Winners: 1985, 1989: 2 Runners up: 1993 Fast5 Netball World Series Winners: 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018 Runners up: 2011, 2023 Lonsdale Cup Winners: 2010, 2019 Halberg Awards – Supreme Award Winners: 2003, 2019 Halberg Awards – Team of the Year Winners: 1989, 2003, 2019 New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame Inductees: 1967, 1987

References

External links Official team website