Silver Ferns coach's Australian foray allows her to ‘stay sharp'
Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua has been spreading her wings across the Ditch.
Taurua returned home yesterday after a three-week professional development stint with the New South Wales Swifts, strengthening the connection between the Silver Ferns and the Australian Super Netball club.
The Swifts are home to Silver Ferns shooter Grace Nweke and coach Briony Akle, who is a specialist coach with the Silver Ferns. Taurua previously spent nine days as a specialist with the club last season.
Taurua joined the Swifts for their past three games, the Swifts beating the Adelaide Thunderbirds 65-57, the Queensland Firebirds 71-63 and the Melbourne Vixens 59-51 to remain the only unbeaten team after five games.
Those games allowed Taurua to sight Jamaicans Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, who is now pregnant, Latanya Wilson and Romelda Aiken-George, Ugandan shooter Mary Cholhok and English Roses Imogen Allison and Helen Housby.
Netball New Zealand head of high performance Stephen Hotter said the relationship benefited everyone and helped build connections.
''Coaching opportunities such as this engagement are essential for Dame Noeline to stay sharp and engaged at an elite level during the domestic season,'' Hotter said.
''It also enables Noeline to observe top international talent and note the progress that they've made in their game and it enables us to stay connected and support Grace where needed.''
Taurua had been impressed by Nweke's performances in the tough league, where she already looked fitter, stronger and had adjusted her game.
Nweke leads the competition with 249 goals from 266 attempts — Melbourne Mavericks Jamaican shooter Shimona Jok is next on 235 — and is third for offensive rebounds with 15.
Nweke is ineligible to play internationally at present due to NNZ criteria requiring players to hone their craft domestically in New Zealand.
Taurua told Newstalk ZB last week her stance had not changed on wanting Nweke to be available for the Silver Ferns, but understood the NNZ board's point of view as well.
She hoped they could meet in the middle in the near future.
Taurua is no stranger to the Australian league. She was the inaugural coach of the Sunshine Coast Lightning and led them to back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018.
She returned home in time for the ANZ Premiership season, which got under way at the weekend.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
3 hours ago
- NZ Herald
SailGP New York: How Black Foils adjusted to SailGP's unexpected three-month break
A three-month break between events was not what anyone involved in SailGP expected. But after the wingsail on the Australian boat collapsed during racing in March's regatta in San Francisco, safety took priority. Over the past few months, the league has been assessing and addressing the equipment after
Otago Daily Times
6 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Thoughts on return after an eventful hiatus
Some things ... Hello again! The good news for the 17 dedicated readers of this column is that it is back, more or less on a weekly basis, now the man who writes it is not knee-deep in Highlanders stories. (And, er, is back from a lovely Australian holiday.) The bad news is you can expect roughly 437 mentions of Liverpool being champions of England between now and February. On that note, here are 29 things that have happened, or that I have been pondering, since the column last appeared: 1. The Highlanders claimed the wooden spoon. Oof. Did not see that coming, to be honest. They played good rugby — some really good rugby — at times. Four or five of their players were consistently brilliant. But, as one noted rugby brain told me recently, they just lost too many of the small moments. Their inexperience in some positions showed, and they lacked a couple of real game leaders to take control. Last is not good, and while most supporters will move on quickly, it will not be pleasant if results do not significantly improve next season. 2. The Chiefs are the best team in Super Rugby, by miles. Hard to see them being stopped. If it has to happen, let it be the Hurricanes, not the Crusaders. 3. Super Rugby continued its year of resurgence. The rugby has been good, new stars have emerged, and there has been plenty of uncertainty. Match attendance increased 6% despite regular season games dropping from 84 to 77, and television and digital viewership went up. Significantly, it has been the second-highest scoring season — an average of 58 points per game — with a historically low average of 2.1 penalty attempts per game. Hard to complain. 4. Just 16 days until Scott Robertson names an All Blacks squad for a second season. The Highlanders will clearly have at least one new test cap (Fabian Holland). Fingers crossed for Timoci Tavatavanawai. Elsewhere, it is hard to imagine too many new faces. Chay Fihaki, perhaps. Du'Plessis Kirifi? 5. In my last column in March, I wrote the Warriors were "miles off the pace". Oops. Sorry, Wahs fans! They have rattled off a bunch of wins and sit pretty just two points off the top of the NRL table. 6. My beloved Penrith Panthers . . . well, let's just say a fifth straight premiership was always going to be unlikely. 7. The Otago Nuggets have parted company with Jose Perez — one of the weirdest, most interesting basketball players I have seen — and become rooted to the bottom of the NBL table. Both the Nuggets and their sister team, the Hoiho, still face an uncertain future as they seek new owners. 8. In the least surprising development since Jacinda Ardern's autobiography was released with 792 references to "kindness", the Indian Panthers have been booted out of the national league. This whole shambles has been one of the great stains on the history of New Zealand sport, and some people should be feeling really embarrassed. 9. No doubt you read my thoughts on the NBA finals in yesterday's paper. Should be a good series. But my Knicks are not far away. ... that have been 10. If you are only good as your last game, the Southern Steel are awful. But the 70-45 loss to the Pulse was an early outlier in a season that is already suggesting the Steel are vastly improved from recent years. 11. I will take some convincing that a two-point shot belongs in netball. 12. What is with netball and its persistence with calling players out of retirement? The Steel raised a few eyebrows when 40-year-old assistant coach Liana Leota came off the bench in the opening game. Now an Australian team has called in Silver Ferns great Casey Kopua, a staggering six years since her retirement. Are there no decent players coming through the ranks? 13. One last netball thought. The national boss might think things are going swimmingly but there has to still be a concern that the future beyond 2026 looks so uncertain thanks to the new broadcasting deal. 14. Great to hear a new $15 million roof could be coming for the Edgar Centre. It is the best asset in this city, and needs to be protected. 15. I waited this long. Did you hear Liverpool are champions of England for a 20th time? Bliss. 16. Arsenal again looked good and won nothing. Chris Wood had the greatest season by a New Zealand footballer. Spurs are "champions of Europe", ha ha. And Manchester United . . . ye gods. 17. You had to feel for Auckland FC. They were wonderful in their inaugural season, deservedly won the minor premiership, and were unlucky to fall in the playoffs. Like every normal football fan, I would rather the A-League just had a plain old league format. 18. The Phoenix appear to be in freefall. Really worrying. 19. Liam Lawson has been busy. He was demoted by Red Bull — who never really gave him a chance — and after a rugged start with Racing Bulls, he appears to be finding his feet. Hopefully he continues to progress. 20. My cousin in Canada and a work colleague are all-in on the Edmonton Oilers winning ice hockey's Stanley Cup, as am I. Lessgooo Oilers. 21. Closer to home, those were two fantastic ice hockey world tournaments held in Dunedin. This newspaper did a sterling job covering them, too. At which point I humbly highlight the sports department's contribution to the Otago Daily Times being named metro paper of the year at the Voyager Awards. We are still covering things other papers have abandoned. ... on my mind 22. And the prize for the stupidest sport-related activity goes to . . . this "run it straight" nonsense. Just shut it down, please. 23. Can we also shut down any talk of the major boys' secondary schools in Otago and Southland abandoning a really good southern schools rugby competition in favour of an over-blown South Island First XV league, designed purely and futilely to attempt to maintain an arms race with the big North Island schools. I don't like it at all. 24. The best book I have read this year has been Spearhead , the amazing story of a tank crew in World War 2. The only sports book has been Not Everything Counts But Everything Matters , the yarn with Penrith coach Ivan Cleary. Not bad. 25. Cricket remains undefeated as the sport with the coolest scorelines. In case you missed it, the Richmond Fourth XI won the toss and fielded in a Middlesex County League game last month. Not such a brilliant decision, as the North London Thirds rattled on 426 for five off just 45 overs. In reply, Richmond were all out for two. Yes, two. One run off the bat, one from a wide. Off 5.4 overs. Brilliant. 26. Rory McIlroy completed the career grand slam with a dramatic and long-awaited win at the Masters. Awesome to watch. 27. Naomi Osaka's tragic tale continued when she crashed out of the French Open, teared up, and sounded extremely down on herself. She just seems so unhappy to be playing tennis at times. 28. Miami quarterback Cam Ward was taken at No 1 in the NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans. The best names in the draft included Aireontae Ersery, Omarr Norman-Lott, Princely Umanmielen, Upton Stout, Zeek Biggers, Gunnar Helm, LaJohntay Wester, Aeneas Peebles, Konata Mumpfield, Dante Trader jun and Lathan Ransom. 29. As mentioned, The Last Word is just back from a trip to Australia. A bit of Melbourne, the amazing Great Ocean Rd and Murray River, and a bit of Adelaide. Did not attend any sport but went to Les Miserables in the Rod Laver Arena, and noted the ratio of Aussie Rules coverage to all other sport in a major newspaper (six pages to two).
Otago Daily Times
6 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Mother's diagnosis spurs Stythe into advocacy
Carys Stythe signs autographs for Southern Steel fans in Invercargill last weekend. PHOTO: MICHAEL BRADLEY PHOTOGRAPHY Carys Stythe was in her happy place. It was her second fully contracted season with the Northern Mystics last year and the rangy defender was starting to stamp her mark and come into her own. There were plenty of highs from the season, as the Mystics went on to be crowned back-to-back ANZ Premiership champions and Stythe got the callup for the Silver Ferns development squad. Then, in the middle of the season, she got the news. Her mother Sara, who had just celebrated her 50th birthday, had been diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer. It was an unimaginable new reality for the 21-year-old and her family. After having a sore stomach, her mother, who Stythe described as "very in tune" with her body, knew something was not right and went to see her doctor. But she had to fight for further testing to eventually get the diagnosis. "She had to push for herself to get a colonoscopy because they said 'you're too young to have anything in your bowel', which is terrible because lots of people are getting diagnosed young," Stythe said. "If someone sent Mum to go get a colonoscopy regularly, she would've been able to get it — but now she's got stage four cancer. "It's just the difference between A and B, I guess. "That's the one thing that we can urge people to do... Just test it." Stythe openly admits last year was really tough. "I don't even remember half of it. I was so upset the whole time. "Obviously I didn't show it on court because that was like my space away from what was going on at home." But her tight-knit family of father Gareth, older sister Imogen, 23 — who moved to London this week, which her mother encouraged — and younger sister Isla, 16, banded together to support one another. Her younger sister is autistic, and has relied heavily on their mother, so the family had the added pressure of helping her become more independent. Stythe is proud of how far she has come. Distance has never been a problem either, since Stythe landed in Invercargill with the Southern Steel this season. She made the trip to visit her loved ones when the Steel played in Hamilton earlier this season and their family chat was always ticking over with countless messages. "I literally talk to them on the phone every day. "We've still got that family connection and I'm only a flight away if she needs me. The Stythe family (from left) Isla, Imogen, Sara, Gareth and Carys. PHOTO: CARMEN BIRD "We're super close. I think that's what made it really hard as well." If there is anything Stythe wants people to take away, it is the importance of family. "Just soak up the time with your family. It's hard, but it does get easier." Looking to make the best of the situation, Stythe has continued to put one foot in front of the other. Her family gathered together to run the Auckland half marathon last year, all for a great cause, and raised $10,000 for Bowel Cancer New Zealand. It is a moment that still brings a smile to Stythe's face. Her work did not stop there. Stythe was an ambassador for the Move Your Butt campaign in February, designed to get people raising money by completing 100km to honour the 100 Kiwis who die of bowel cancer every month. The defender spent the month running, and walking, to help raise awareness for a cause that has become close to her heart. And it is not hard to see why she has become so passionate about it. "If regular colonoscopies were a thing from a young age, she wouldn't have stage four cancer right now. "She would've had it cured. It would've not even been a thing. "The fact she had to push to get one... she'll push for that, whereas I think other people wouldn't. "It just wouldn't have happened, so just really raising awareness for how young people can actually get it and[they're getting it] younger." More than 3300 New Zealanders are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year, a statistic no-one should have to live with, she says. Stythe continues to share information through her social media, including the group who protested outside Parliament, calling for lowering the age of eligibility for free bowel screening tests to 45 last month. "I'm just trying to get it out there, I guess. "Anyone that can hear it and take something from it, I guess, is what I want." Stythe has settled in well to life in the deep South. Living in Invercargill with her partner Hikoi Paki, and being part of a fresh Steel side that clicked from the moment they met made for an easy transition. "I'm just really loving my time here. "All the girls we're really good friends and the coaches are great. "I just think because I'm enjoying my time so much here it's showing on court." Stythe in action for the Steel against the Pulse in their ANZ Premiership game in Invercargill. PHOTO: MICHAEL BRADLEY PHOTOGRAPHY That is for certain. Stythe has been outstanding and leads the ANZ Premiership for rebounds (11), and deflections (22) and is fourth-equal for intercepts (seven). Stythe, who was the New Zealand secondary school player of the year in 2021, put it down to the Steel's environment, and more game time at goal keep allowing her to focus on her job. Learning from Steel coach Wendy Frew, and her family-first mentality, also allowed Stythe to settle in her role. "She's all about the person first and I think obviously with Mum, she's been really awesome about that," Stythe said. Adding in the two-point shot had added another layer to the game, and while most of the discussions have been related around the shooters, many forget there are defenders trying to stop it. Stythe says it turned the circle backwards — instead of trying to push shooters out of the circle, defenders wanted them closer to the post during the two-point time — and the rules made it hard to get around their opponents. But Stythe sees potential in the innovation. "It makes it fun. I know the fans love it so much. "I love it so much as well. When I'm down the other side and we get a two in, it just lifts the whole team." The Steel were hammered 70-45 by the Central Pulse last week. But it was a bad result in an otherwise positive start to the season and they get another shot when they host the Mainland Tactix this afternoon. The Steel lost 57-50 to the Tactix in the opening game, but the Tactix only really ran away in the final quarter. "We just need to bring it from the first whistle. "We could take away lots of good things from our first game against them, kind of keep doing that but see what we could do better so we can take the win." It will be a memorable game for many reasons. The Hutton Family Trophy will be on the line again, in honour of Kelly Hutton, who died of ovarian cancer, and her sister, Megan, who played for the Steel. In a nice touch, the Steel will also be doing their bit raising money for the Southern Cancer Society. And when Stythe runs out on to the court, there will be some lucky people in the stands watching on — her family, including her mother, who have made the trip to Invercargill to watch her play. "They're my biggest fans so I'm really excited to see them." ANZ Premiership 4pm, Invercargill Southern Steel: Aliyah Dunn, Georgia Heffernan, Summer Temu, Serina Daunakamakama, Kimiora Poi, Renee Savai'inaea, Carys Stythe, Abby Lawson, Khayne'-Lii Munro-Nonoa. Mainland Tactix: Ellie Bird, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Martina Salmon, Erikana Pederson, Holly Mather, Parris Petera, Paris Lokotui, Karin Burger, Jane Watson, Charli Fidler.
