(File photo) Photo: Marty Melville
NZ v South Africa - Taini Jamison trophy
7:40pm Sunday 21 September
Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
Eleven days ago Netball New Zealand dropped a bombshell when they announced that Dame Noeline Taurua and her assistant coaches were being stood down for the Taini Jamison series.
That series starts on Sunday, when the Silver Ferns host South Africa in Auckland.
Why was Taurua stood down?
RNZ understands the issues in the Silver Ferns stem back to the team's nine-day training camp in Sydney earlier this year.
Following the tour, two players approached the NZ Netball Players' Association (NZNPA) on behalf of a larger group of up to seven players, who raised concerns about Taurua's leadership and communication style.
Players alleged the environment had become "psychologically unsafe", describing a culture in which some felt fearful of raising issues directly with the head coach.
Those concerns were escalated to Netball NZ but it was not until July that an independent review was carried out. The review highlighted "significant issues" within the Silver Ferns environment.
Taurua and her assistants Deb Fuller and Briony Akle were said to have been "furious" with the findings.
How did it come to a head?
After multiple attempts at mediation, a crisis meeting was held on Thursday 4 September, on the eve of what was meant to be a four day training camp.
It involved senior Netball NZ officials, Taurua and her management team, representatives from High Performance Sport NZ, and members of the Players' Association.
When the last-ditch effort to resolve the stand-off was unsuccessful, Netball NZ believed it had little option other than to bring in a new coaching team for the South Africa series.
On 10 September the story hit the headlines when Netball New Zealand sent out a press release announcing Taurua and her coaching cohort were being stood down for the series.
NNZ board chair Matt Whineray said the organisation was still hopeful of reconciling the situation with Dame Noeline.
Dame Noeline Taurua Photo: Marty Melville / PHOTOSPORT
Who is the new management team?
Former Pulse coach Yvette McCausland-Durie answered an SOS to fill in as interim coach for the Taini Jamison series just hours before NNZ confirmed the shock news on 10 September.
The next day, McCausland-Durie had a four day training camp with the Silver Ferns.
Her assistant coach is former Silver Fern Liana Leota.
Former Silver Fern Tracey Fear and a former Silver Ferns coach Wai Taumaunu have been brought in to share the high performance role in the interim.
And former long-time All Black manager Darren Shand had also been brought in to support the players.
Is there a new captain?
No, not yet.
It was expected Dame Noeline would be announcing a new captain this week, with Ameliaranne Ekenasio not making herself available for the 2025 test window.
But instead a match-day captain and vice-captain will be selected from the squad throughout the series.
McCausland-Durie, who was also a former assistant Silver Ferns coach, said she thought rotating captains was the best option.
"They [Noeline Taurua and assistant coach Deb Fuller] had started a leadership process and that included the captaincy. My view is that I am here for a very short time and therefore it's not my place to decide who the captain should be for the next campaigns."
Karin Burger, Kelly Jackson, Kate Heffernan, and Grace Nweke make up the leadership group that could fill those captaincy roles.
Yvette McCausland-Durie Photo: PHOTOSPORT
How much scrutiny have the Silver Ferns been under?
The scrutiny has been immense.
The standing down of the popular coach has shocked many netball fans to the core, given how glowing many past players have been about her impact.
At the 2019 Halberg Awards Taurua won coach of the year after she engineered a remarkable turn-around, which saw the Ferns win the 2019 Netball World Cup 11 months after she became coach.
Last week Silver Ferns legend Laura Langman came out in staunch defence of her former coach and was critical of players who complained about Dame Noeline.
This will be the first time in seven years the national side heads into a series without coach Dame Noeline at the helm.
Can South Africa upset the Silver Ferns?
Despite the tumultuous build-up to the series, it's unlikely.
The Proteas have only beaten the Silver Ferns once, in a famous victory at the 1995 Netball World Championships.
However in their past six clashes with New Zealand, South Africa has had two narrow defeats (1 & 2 goals), and the last time they played was at the 2023 World Cup when the Proteas scored 5 of the last 6 goals, to claim a thrilling 48-48 draw.
South Africa has since lost a lot of experience with players like Phumza Maweni and Bongiwe Msomi retired, and Karla Pretorius unavailable.
Look out for shooter Elmeré van der Berg, a player on the rise. The 24-year-old was the top scorer in the UK's Netball Super League this year and has been signed to play in the Australian league in 2026.
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