Netball: Coach Dame Noeline Taurua says fitness is the focus for excluded Silver Ferns

Tiana Metuarau in action against Australia earlier in the year. Photo / photosport.nz

Dame Noeline Taurua wants to build as much depth as possible before next year's World Cup – but that doesn't mean she is willing to relax her notoriously strict standards.

The Silver Ferns coach has named two different teams for this month's four-match Constellation Cup series against Australia, with nine players to feature on both sides of the Tasman and a further six selected for only one leg.

The aim, according to Taurua, is for more players to face the challenge of taking on the No 1 team in the world, ideally increasing competition for places ahead of the sport's showpiece in South Africa next year. But Taurua isn't about to let just anyone test themselves against Australia – not if they haven't passed a few other tests first.

Tiana Metuarau and Aliyah Dunn were both namechecked by the coach as players she had considered for selection but ultimately opted against including in her Constellation Cup squad. The shooters were instead named to compete in November's Fast5 and left in no doubt about why they wouldn't be facing the Diamonds.

"There's still work that both of those players have to do with regards to getting their fitness up to standard," Taurua told Newstalk ZB. "So they'll be playing in Fast5 – we want to make sure they're still exposed but we can also see what they've done in regards to skillsets and different areas of their game.

"In all areas we have introduced people and I definitely wanted to do that [with the shooters]. But we probably have to wait for them to be ready to be able to come back into our environment."

Midcourters Kimiora Poi and Peta Toeava were welcomed into that environment after being excluded from recent squads, the beneficiaries of Gina Crampton's sabbatical and Shannon Saunders' unavailability due to pregnancy.

"They get a touchpoint as to playing against the best," Taurua said. "That one-on-one style, which is what Australia offers, is relentless so that's going to be difficult and challenging for both Peta and Kimiora.

"Also, their ability to have repeated efforts themselves and deliver the ball under pressure, that's what I'm looking for from both of them. We're in camp at the moment but so far their intent has been incredible, so I'm really excited to see what they can do on court."

Poi was a standout contributor in the last Constellation Cup, won 3-1 by New Zealand in March 2021, and will continue to get time at wing attack and centre as Taurua looks to establish three-player depth at each position.

"That depth over the last two years has grown to a stage of being really strong," she said. "Australia are the best opposition that we can come up against – for them to be given an opportunity against the world No 1 will set us up as to what they can do within a pressured environment.

"We're really looking forward to that challenge and seeing how close or far away we are. This is our time to shine – or not."

Silver Ferns squad for Constellation Cup:

Ameliaranne Ekenasio (c), Kate Heffernan, Kayla Johnson, Kelly Jury, Phoenix Karaka, Grace Nweke, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Whitney Souness, Maia Wilson, Sulu Fitzpatrick (NZ leg), Mila Reuelu-Buchanan (NZ leg), Peta Toeava (NZ leg), Maddy Gordon (Australian leg), Kimiora Poi (Australian leg), Elle Temu (Australian leg).