Netball: Test series of little impact on Delhi, say rivals

Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken says that while both teams will want to win the series, it is still the battle and not the war. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Silver Ferns' coach Ruth Aitken and her Australian counterpart Norma Plummer both agree that whatever happens in tomorrow's third and final test between the two sides will not be the winning and losing of a gold medal in Delhi.

After a disappointing outing in the opening test, the Ferns produced a stunning turnaround in Wellington on Thursday night - humiliating the Diamonds by 19 goals to set up a thrilling finale to the Constellation Cup series at Auckland's Vector Arena.

Aitken said while a series win over the Australians will be a confidence-boost to her side's Commonwealth Games campaign, the Delhi tournament is still "far enough down the track for things to change before then".

The crucial part of their preparation will therefore be what happens behind closed doors over the next month to build on what they have learned from the international season.

"I think actually in the end, while both teams will definitely want to win the series, it is still the battle and not the war. Both teams will take confidence from various aspects of their performance this series and it's about how we develop that in the next month," said Aitken.

Still, that won't lessen either teams' desire to make history as the first holders of the Constellation Cup.

The Diamonds' pride won't allow them to fall victim of another "murder on the dance floor", as Plummer termed Thursday's rout in Wellington, while the Silver Ferns will be eager to prove they can perform at that high level consistently.

The key challenge for Aitken will be bringing her side swiftly back to reality after such a dominant display and recognising that come tomorrow they will be starting from scratch.

"We have to keep evolving, that's what we have to realise. [The 19-goal win] was wonderful, but it was one night and we're all back to square one again come Sunday and we need to re-establish ourselves.

"We're not on an escalator that we just take the next step and carry on, they will come back ... and we will have to match that intensity and push on further. But what a wonderful challenge for us to rise to."

Aitken has little doubt her Australian counterpart would have been up late following Thursday's test identifying where it went wrong for the Diamonds and plotting their revenge in Auckland.

But Plummer was playing it coy when asked what areas they will targeting for improvement.

"There's a lot of things we need to work on - we'll all have to pull up our socks."

Still, despite copping such a hefty defeat in Wellington, Plummer had no doubt her side could bounce back in the third test.

"I wouldn't write us off just yet," she said.

After managing to get all 12 players out on court over the first two tests, Aitken hopes to continue to fine-tune those combinations in Auckland tomorrow.

It is a difficult balance to achieve - making changes while still maintaining momentum - and Aitken said for it to work, the team have to have complete confidence in one another.

"We do want to keep building our options - it is our last opportunity to play Australia before it will be sudden death in a semi or a final, so we need to know going to Delhi what we've got in our back pocket.

"But the way we do that is by not compromising our performance and all the team has to buy in to it."

Silver Ferns v Australia
Constellation Cup decider
Tomorrow, 4pm Vector Arena, Auckland
Live on TV One