New Zealand's world champion netballers are speechless, bemused but apparently not offended at being labelled "a bunch of scrubbers" by the new Australia coach.
Norma Plummer, who succeeded Jill McIntosh after the world championships in July, hasn't taken long to make her mark.
"I felt that New Zealand team were a bunchof scrubbers this year," said Plummer, a former Australia captain.
"They went out and physically did it this year, and I mean physically in every sense of the word. They just threw themselves into the game and that got them on top of the Australian team towards the end."
Plummer made the comment last week, when pointing to changes that needed to be made to her team's style of play.
Former Silver Ferns captain Belinda Colling was lost for words when told of Plummer's comments yesterday, but refused to take the bait.
"I don't know where it's coming from. It's all a bit over my head really. I'm not too fazed by it all."
The Oxford Dictionary defines scrubber as "(offensive) a promiscuous woman" or "a person of rough or unkempt appearance".
Australia's Macquarie Dictionary defines scrubber as "noun (derogatory) an ugly girl or woman".
Plummer, 58, today refused to back down when asked what she meant by her use of the word.
"You can take it in two ways. I've seen plenty of classy sides from New Zealand who couldn't take it across the line. But this lot, at least they got the job done.
"It's a term we wouldn't get too upset about and I'm not going to back down from it."
Plummer said New Zealand hadn't handed out too many compliments to Australian sides over the years.
"Nobody seemed to think too much about calling Australia 'Jill's Geriatrics' in 1999."
New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken laughed off Plummer's comments and said she was not offended.
"People say there is not enough controversy in netball. I think she is just setting things up for her reign by being controversial and being seen to go on to the attack."
Plummer told New Zealand fans not to be so "touchy" or "thin-skinned" about her remarks.
She offered a back-handed compliment about the physical shape of the Silver Ferns.
"I noticed the massive weight loss a lot of players had had in Jamaica."
New Zealand beat Australia 49-47 in the final.
The Australians will have their chance for revenge when they face the Ferns in six tests next year.
