New Zealand netball is set to mark a world first as the first netball association in the world to reach the 100-year milestone.
To celebrate, the Silver Ferns will play the England Roses in September and the world champion Australian Diamonds in October.
“We can’t think of a better way to mark 100 years of netball in New Zealand than by playing two of the best teams in the sport, two of our greatest rivals,” says Netball NZ chief executive Jennie Wyllie.
The Silver Ferns will play a three test series against the Roses, starting in Auckland on 29 September, Wellington on 2 October and concluding in Invercargill on 6 October.
“England continue to be a threat on the international stage which they showed with their silver medal at the Netball World Cup, and we look forward to welcoming them to our shores again for the Taini Jamison Trophy, a trophy which means a lot to the Silver Ferns.”
Wellington and Auckland will host the Diamonds in the first two tests of the Constellation Cup to be played at TSB Arena in the capital on 20 October and at Spark Arena in Tāmaki Makaurau on 23 October, before the series heads across the Tasman for two further tests.
Netball Australia is still to confirm the dates and venues for the third and fourth tests.
“The world champion Australian side continue to set the bar in international netball, but we showed with two wins in the Constellation Cup in 2023, that we have what it takes to beat the best.”
In February, Netball New Zealand established the country’s inaugural Netball Hall of Fame, including legendary Silver Ferns coach Taini Jamison (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāi Tahu) and former captain Laura Langman (Ngāti Pāoa) among the first intake of inductees.
Netball was first introduced to New Zealand in 1906 as ‘women’s basketball’, with the first New Zealand Basketball Association established in 1924, the Netball New Zealand website states.
