Netball World Cup 2023: Silver Ferns feeling pressure ahead of semifinal v England

The burden of pressure is weighing on the Silver Ferns ahead of tonight’s Netball World Cup semifinal against England in Cape Town.

New Zealand have failed to win their last two games, after getting thumped by Jamaica and drawing with hosts South Africa.

The Ferns have struggled since shooter Grace Nweke went down injured, which limited coach Dame Noeline Taurua’s options and forced them to consolidate the attacking end.

Taurua is unsure where her team is at mentally.

“I think time will tell, if I’m going to be honest. I feel we’ve been under massive pressure over the last three games. It probably started with Grace and our ability to reconvene and get ourselves stable again.”

The Ferns can scarcely believe they have avoided meeting an angry Australia in the semifinals, who will be desperate to reaffirm their favourites tag when they battle Jamaica on Sunday morning NZT.

Taurua said a lot of their strategy has been set up with England in mind, and the draw has worked out perfectly.

“Oh my God, this is getting crazy! We’ve been put under the pump and we’ve been exposed. In a crazy way, we are where we had predicted like four or five months ago.”

The 2019 World Cup-winning coach mixed up her combinations regularly earlier in the tournament but made only one substitution in the loss to Jamaica.

Despite this, Taurua said they do not have a confirmed starting seven.

“You don’t have a clear spine in mind which is quite interesting from what we’ve done in the past. I do believe we’ve got those players that play really well, but at times they go walkabout or it does become inconsistent.”

Creating more space in the attacking circle is one of a number of changes Taurua wants to see in tonight’s semifinal.

“We need repercussive timing so we’re not both going at the same time. We need to build the combinations who are out there and the connections with different people. Defensively, we need to go. We need to get the ball high and not get worried about what’s going to happen in the back.”

England are flushed with confidence after their upset one-goal victory over tournament favourites Australia, which saw them top Pool F.

The Roses boast a powerful attacking end, with an ever-reliable combination of Eleanor Cardwell and Helen Housby, who picked up MVP honours in the Diamonds win.

Taurua said the English also have real depth.

“They’ve got this air of toughness or strength. I think it’s an English way of how they play the game which is very positive. I think a big thing that came out is they’re changing a lot of the combinations.”

New Zealand beat England by 10 goals in January’s Quad Series but Taurua said that result means nothing.

The coach said their make-or-break mindset is clear.

“I always think of the business end and having the team who can do the business. You either do or you don’t, but that’s what it’s like. We must be ready, we must be prepared and there must be no tomorrow.”