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.
{| class="wikitable collapsible"
! Tournaments
! Place
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|1963 World Netball Championships||
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|1975 World Netball Championships||
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|1979 World Netball Championships||
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|1987 World Netball Championships||
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|1995 World Netball Championships||
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|1999 World Netball Championships||
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|2003 World Netball Championships||
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|2011 World Netball Championships||
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|2015 Netball World Cup||
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|2019 Netball World Cup||4th
|}