NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Netball / Silver Ferns

Netball: Disjointed Ferns beat Malawi

Dana Johannsen
By Dana Johannsen
Reporter·NZ Herald·
27 Oct, 2013 08:35 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Catherine Latu. Photo / Getty Images

Catherine Latu. Photo / Getty Images

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

New Zealand 68
Malawi 49

With the Commonwealth Games just around the corner, the Silver Ferns end of year series against Malawi presented the opportunity for Waimarama Taumaunu to get some answers to the lingering questions over her squad.

Tonight's messy, disjointed and unpolished effort in their 68-49 win provided her with those answers, but it wasn't the ones she would have been hoping for.

After a 70-32 win over the world number five ranked Malawi side in Thursday's night's opening test in Wellington, the Ferns turned in a disappointing effort in Napier last night, with only a 20-11 final quarter rampage saving them from blushes. Trailing 34-22 at halftime, the spirited visitors produced an impressive third spell, outscoring the Ferns 16-14 to bring the scoreline back to 10 heading into the final period. At one point in the third quarter Malawi closed to within seven of the Ferns, as continued breakdowns between Joline Henry, who moved from wing defence to centre at halftime, and the shooting circle lead to an alarming error count.

This will be the test that will surely finally bring an end to experiment with Laura Langman at wing attack.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It wasn't that Langman makes a poor wing attack, it's just that without the midcourt dynamo controlling the tempo at centre, the Ferns attack was shambolic.

The search for a back-up wing defence also continues, with Katrina Grant struggling with her positional play in her second outing on the wing after being introduced at halftime.

Last night's test also confirmed the captain Casey Kopua's talents are best-served in the goal defence position. Since Kopua was moved to goal defence a few seasons ago, there have been calls for her return in the goal keep position, where she first made a name for herself as a teen. But her through-court attack was sorely missed for the first three quarters, before she was thrown the goal defence bib in the final spell as the Ferns sought to finish strongly.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It is probably too soon to judge the progress of Ferns newcomer Katarina Cooper, who was handed her first test cap last night as her ultimate netballing fairytale story continued. The 27-year-old Otaki mother-of-two was overlooked for an ANZ Championship contract for the first four years of the competition, before landing a spot at the Central Pulse in 2012. But her debut season came to a devastating end when she suffered a serious knee injury and when she missed out on a Pulse contract this season, it was thought that would be the last we saw of Cooper.

But Silver Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu threw her a lifeline earlier this year when she invited Cooper to trials, and later included her in the wider squad.

She made a circumspect start to her international career, giving away possession on her first centre pass, but worked herself back into the game before she was replaced at halftime after copping a corked thigh mid-way through the second spell. Cooper produced some impressive patches of play, with her drives to the top of the circle particularly spectacular, but her consistency remains a problem.

Cooper became the fourth player debut for the Ferns this season, following Courtney Tairi, Shannon Francois and Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit.

Discover more

Netball

Netball: Ferns make statement against minnows

24 Oct 04:30 PM
Silver Ferns

Netball: Defender feels heat on debut

25 Oct 10:52 PM
Silver Ferns

Netball: Ferns out to finish on a high

26 Oct 04:30 PM
Netball

Netball: Pressure on Silver Ferns to win well

30 Oct 04:30 PM

While the Ferns made a lot of unforced errors, credit must go to the gutsy Malawi side, who applied themselves well on defence all night, disrupting the timing and rhythm of the New Zealanders.

Tactix-bound shooter Mwai Kumwenda was particularly impressive, shooting 42 of her side's 49 goals, and wowing the Napier crowd with her athletic leaps.

Kumwenda will likely be a target for the Ferns defence in Thursday's final test in Hamilton.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Silver Ferns

Entertainment

'Move it or lose it': Adine Wilson and Irene van Dyk on their TV return to the court

Silver Ferns

'Moments are priceless': Silver Ferns stars reunite for TV reality show

Silver Ferns

'There's some niggle': Mystics coach's warning amid rising injury toll


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Silver Ferns

'Move it or lose it': Adine Wilson and Irene van Dyk on their TV return to the court
Entertainment

'Move it or lose it': Adine Wilson and Irene van Dyk on their TV return to the court

'It was a shock to the system, but that's part of why I said I wanted to do it.'

12 Jul 09:00 PM
'Moments are priceless': Silver Ferns stars reunite for TV reality show
Silver Ferns

'Moments are priceless': Silver Ferns stars reunite for TV reality show

11 Jul 12:00 AM
'There's some niggle': Mystics coach's warning amid rising injury toll
Silver Ferns

'There's some niggle': Mystics coach's warning amid rising injury toll

10 Jul 09:01 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP