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Sport | Netball

Christmas has come early for the Silver Ferns

Start spreading the news:  Noeline Taurua has signed on as Silver Ferns head coach for another year.

Netball NZ has announced this morning that Taurua (Tai Tokerau, Ngati Kawa, Ngati Rehia, Ngati Whatua), who spearheaded one of the greatest comebacks in NZ sports history when the Ferns won world title in Liverpool earlier this year, has recommitted to the position until the end of February 2021.

Taurua, who has returned home to New Zealand after three years coaching in Australia, felt the one-year commitment was a good fit for her family, and she was looking forward to the challenges ahead for the world champions.

Her whanau includes five tamariki, four of whom are teenagers. The move is understood to be influenced by a desire to be closer to her mother Polly, who is in Auckland.

“I want the emphasis to be on continuing momentum. It is a shift in thinking but it’s that challenge that I’m really excited about,” she said in a press release.

“I’ve been looking forward to coming home and helping to develop the next steps for the Silver Ferns.”

Since returning home she has been building towards next month’s Netball Nations Cup in England where the Silver Ferns take on England, Jamaica and South Africa.

Netball NZ Chief Executive Jennie Wyllie was understandably very happy to have Taurua back.

“It was really important that we gave Noeline the space to make that decision after the massive commitment she gave to Netball in New Zealand over the past two years,” she said.

“We’re delighted to have secured her services – she is a world-class coach who is widely respected in this game, not just in this country but around the world.”

The Silver Ferns head to England soon, where their first game is against the host nation on January 19.

The final of the Netball Nations Cup is in London on January 26.