Netball in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Netball
is the most popular women's sport
in New Zealand
, in terms of player participation and public interest. With the national team, the Silver Ferns
, currently ranked second in the world, netball maintains a high profile in New Zealand. As in other netball-playing countries, netball is considered primarily a women's sport; men's and mixed teams exist at different levels, but are ancillary to women's competition.
In 2008, 138,000 players were registered with Netball New Zealand
, the governing body for organised netball in the country. Organised competition ranges from interschool and local club netball to premier domestic competitions such as the ANZ Championship
, with the pinnacle for netball players in New Zealand being selection for the national team.
' in 1906 or 1907 by Rev. J. C. Jamieson. The game spread across New Zealand through primary and secondary schools, although different playing rules emerged in different areas. By 1923, the first representative match was played between the regions of Canterbury
and Wellington
. The New Zealand Basketball Association was formed the following year, representing the first national governing body for netball. The first New Zealand National Tournament was held two years later in 1926. A New Zealand national team was named in 1938 to tour Australia
; games were played with the Australian seven-a-side rules (cf. nine-a-side in New Zealand).
Attempts to adopt an international standard of rules for netball were made in earnest in 1957 in England, along with the formation of an international netball body, the International Federation of Netball Associations
. Prior to this, New Zealand and Australia had worked out their own unified rules, in places making reference to netball rules in England. New Zealand national teams played seven-a-side, while domestic teams continued to play nine-a-side. However, the new international rules of netball were agreed upon in 1958, and universally applied in New Zealand by 1961. The first Netball World Championships
took place in 1963
in England, with Australia
defeating New Zealand in the finals.
In 1970, New Zealand became the last country to adopt the name 'netball', which until that time was still referred to as 'women's basketball'. Eventually, the New Zealand Netball Association was formed from the New Zealand Basketball Association. The 1970s saw an increase in regular tours by the New Zealand national team to other countries, as well as other national teams touring New Zealand. Domestically, mid-week netball became popular amongst housewives, who brought their children with them to netball games. By 1977, 6,058 senior teams and 2,816 primary school teams were registered with the New Zealand Netball Association. New Zealand hosted the fourth Netball World Championships
in 1975, coming third behind England
and Australia.
In 1991, the New Zealand Netball Association changed its name to the current 'Netball New Zealand'. In 1998, the Silver Ferns won a silver medal when netball became a medal sport at the Commonwealth Games
for the first time in Kuala Lumpur
; a gold medal would come eight years later in Melbourne
. That year also saw the formation of a revamped national netball competition, with ten new teams representing twelve regional entities (each representing one or more regions
) across New Zealand, in what became known as the National Bank Cup
.
New Zealand netball has enjoyed recent success in the 2000s, with the national team winning the 2003 Netball World Championships
in Jamaica
, gold medals in the 2006
and 2010
Commonwealth Games
, as well as the first two editions of the World Netball Series
. The success of the national team, combined with a long-standing rivalry with Australia, has helped the sport to maintain a high profile in New Zealand. Netball has recently developed into a semi-professional sport with the start of the ANZ Championship.
, after hosting rights were withdrawn from Fiji
following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état
. Netball New Zealand recently helped to organise the ANZ Championship in conjunction with Netball Australia
.
Netball New Zealand oversees 12 regional netball associations in regional and regional-representative netball. In elite domestic netball, Netball New Zealand also supervises five ANZ Championship franchises, which replaced the eight National Bank Cup franchises after 2007.
Players in out-of-school club competition compete in regional and regional-representative (national) competitions. Regional development programmes allow selected players to compete in U-15 and U-17 national competitions. After this, players may trial for entry into the New Zealand U-19 and U-21 teams, which compete at the New Zealand Age Group Championships. Open-age regional competition can, for talented players, lead to competing in the New Zealand Netball Championships. Successful players can be chosen to play in a franchise in the ANZ Championship. From this point, the highest levels of netball in New Zealand are selection for the New Zealand Accelerant squad, and ultimately the New Zealand national team, the Silver Ferns.
. The final season was played in 2007, with the Southern Sting winning their seventh title. It was replaced in 2008 by a new trans-Tasman
competition, the ANZ Championship.
With the start of the ANZ Championship, netball has become a semi-professional sport in both New Zealand and Australia. For the 2008 season, each New Zealand franchise agreed to spend NZ$300,000 on player retainer
s, with a $12,000 minimum retainer for each player; high-profile players are expected to earn up to $50,000 during the competition. The ANZ Championship is predicted to raise the status of netball to a fully professional sport in both countries within several years.
However, the initial seasons have seen New Zealand teams struggling to keep up with their Australian counterparts, with only two teams having qualifed for the finals, and no New Zealand team winning the competition. Media reports in New Zealand have attributed the relative lack of success for New Zealand teams to a lack of player depth, restrictions on training hours, and delays in allowing franchises to finalise player selections.
, followed by Australia. The Silver Ferns had been the highest-ranked team in the world after winning the 2003 Netball World Championships, were replaced by Australia after the 2007 Championships, but again became number one in January 2011. Indeed, the two countries have always had a keen and close rivalry in netball, as in many other sports – one that has sustained interest in the sport in New Zealand. The Silver Ferns currently compete in two annual three-test series against Australia. Regular tests are also held with England and Jamaica. Current head coach Ruth Aitken
has been in charge of the Silver Ferns since 2001, and has been contracted to continue as head coach until at least 2012.
The Fastnet Ferns represent New Zealand at the World Netball Series
, a recently developed international competition played under fastnet
rules. In 2010, the New Zealand team sent to the World Netball Series comprised players from the wider Silver Ferns squad, as well as non-international players. Robyn Broughton
was appointed head coach of the 2010 Fastnet Ferns.
Accelerant Squad
The Accelerant Squad replaced the New Zealand A squad in December 2008 as the second-tier national netball team, immediately below the level of the Silver Ferns. Players in this squad are selected from domestic competitions such as the ANZ Championship and are recognised as being potential members of the Silver Ferns by 2011. A maximum of eight players are expected to be in the Accelerant Squad at any given time, which will be supervised by Silver Ferns head coach Ruth Aitken.
New Zealand U21
The New Zealand U21 team includes players under 21 years of age that are considered to have the potential to progress to higher levels of netball in the future. Players are selected from domestic netball competitions. The New Zealand U21 team won the 2005 World Youth Netball Cup in Miami. As of October 2008, Yvette McCausland-Durie is the team coach.
New Zealand Secondary Schools
The New Zealand Secondary Schools team includes talented players of secondary school age. Players are selected from a development camp after the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships. In June 2008, the New Zealand Secondary Schools team won the International Schoolgirls Netball Challenge in Adelaide
. As of June 2008, Kiri Wills is the team coach.
since 1998. New Zealand and Australia have contested all four gold medal matches: Australia won the gold medal in 1998 and 2002, while New Zealand has won gold in 2006 and 2010. The gold medal matches in 2002 and 2010 were two of the most closely contested matches in netball history, both going into double extra time.
are the current naming sponsors for test matches in New Zealand. Australia, England, South Africa and Jamaica play regular test matches against New Zealand, with occasional matches against other national teams, in particular from Pacific Island nations. In 2010 the Constellation Cup
was introduced as the trophy for test match competition with Australia, similar to the Bledisloe Cup
in rugby union.
, as well as being exempt from paying for broadcast time, and even receiving a minimal 'rights fee'.
Domestic matches in the ANZ Championship are televised live on SKY Sports
, which also televised the National Bank Cup; delayed coverage is broadcasted by both SKY Sports and Television New Zealand. International matches involving the Silver Ferns are televised on TVNZ Channel ONE (free-to-air) and SKY Sports (pay TV). Radio Network
provides live commentary on ANZ Championship matches.
The final of the 1999 Netball World Championships
between New Zealand and Australia was, at the time, the highest rating programme ever for then-televiser TV2. Another trans-Tasman Silver Ferns match in 2008 attracted a higher television audience than for the deciding rugby union match of the Bledisloe Cup
earlier that year.
from 1997–2001, netball had the highest participation rate of any organised sport among girls aged 5–17 (18%) and adult women (10%); netball did not rank among the top 15 sports among men in any age group. Netball had the second highest participation rate among Māori respondents (20%), behind touch football (25%). By comparison, netball ranked eighth among European New Zealanders
(6%) and tenth among other ethnic groups (7%). Netball was played by 19% of adults aged 18–24, 13% of adults aged 25–34, 6% of adults aged 35–49 and 1% of adults over the age of 50.
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
is the most popular women's sport
Women's sports
Women's sports include amateur and professional competitions in virtually all sports. Female participation in sports rose dramatically in the twentieth century, especially in the last quarter, reflecting changes in modern societies that emphasized gender parity...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, in terms of player participation and public interest. With the national team, the Silver Ferns
Silver Ferns
The New Zealand national netball team, commonly known as the Silver Ferns, represent New Zealand in international netball. The team take their nickname from the Silver Tree Fern , which is an iconic emblem for many New Zealand sports teams. The Silver Ferns were formed in 1938 as a representative...
, currently ranked second in the world, netball maintains a high profile in New Zealand. As in other netball-playing countries, netball is considered primarily a women's sport; men's and mixed teams exist at different levels, but are ancillary to women's competition.
In 2008, 138,000 players were registered with Netball New Zealand
Netball New Zealand
Netball New Zealand is the national body which oversees, promotes and manages netball in New Zealand, including the Silver Ferns.Other competitions overseen include:*ANZ Championship – Premier Domestic Competition...
, the governing body for organised netball in the country. Organised competition ranges from interschool and local club netball to premier domestic competitions such as the ANZ Championship
ANZ Championship
The ANZ Championship is the pre-eminent netball league in the world. The competition is held annually between April and July, comprising 69 matches played over 17 weeks. It is contested by ten teams, five from Australia and five from New Zealand...
, with the pinnacle for netball players in New Zealand being selection for the national team.
History
Netball was introduced to New Zealand as 'women's basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
' in 1906 or 1907 by Rev. J. C. Jamieson. The game spread across New Zealand through primary and secondary schools, although different playing rules emerged in different areas. By 1923, the first representative match was played between the regions of Canterbury
Canterbury, New Zealand
The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
and Wellington
Wellington Region
The Wellington region of New Zealand occupies the southern end of the North Island.-Governance:The official Wellington Region, as administered by the Wellington Regional Council covers the conurbation around the capital city, Wellington, and the cities of Lower Hutt, Porirua, and Upper Hutt, each...
. The New Zealand Basketball Association was formed the following year, representing the first national governing body for netball. The first New Zealand National Tournament was held two years later in 1926. A New Zealand national team was named in 1938 to tour Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
; games were played with the Australian seven-a-side rules (cf. nine-a-side in New Zealand).
Attempts to adopt an international standard of rules for netball were made in earnest in 1957 in England, along with the formation of an international netball body, the International Federation of Netball Associations
International Federation of Netball Associations
International Federation of Netball Associations is the governing body for netball. The organisation has five regional areas: Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. Leadership meets every two years. IFNA is responsible for world rankings, maintaining the rules for netball and organising the...
. Prior to this, New Zealand and Australia had worked out their own unified rules, in places making reference to netball rules in England. New Zealand national teams played seven-a-side, while domestic teams continued to play nine-a-side. However, the new international rules of netball were agreed upon in 1958, and universally applied in New Zealand by 1961. The first Netball World Championships
Netball World Championships
The World Netball Championships is a quadrennial international netball world championship co-ordinated by the International Federation of Netball Associations , inaugurated in 1963. Since its inception the competition has been dominated primarily by the Australian national netball team and the New...
took place in 1963
1963 Netball World Championships
The 1963 World Netball Championships was the first edition of the World Netball Championships, a quadrennial international netball competition. The 1963 tournament was held in Eastbourne, England, and featured 11 teams. Australia were the winners....
in England, with Australia
Australia national netball team
The Australia national netball team, commonly known as the Australian Netball Diamonds, represent Australia in international netball tests and competitions. The team was formed in 1938 and played in the first international game of netball, against New Zealand...
defeating New Zealand in the finals.
In 1970, New Zealand became the last country to adopt the name 'netball', which until that time was still referred to as 'women's basketball'. Eventually, the New Zealand Netball Association was formed from the New Zealand Basketball Association. The 1970s saw an increase in regular tours by the New Zealand national team to other countries, as well as other national teams touring New Zealand. Domestically, mid-week netball became popular amongst housewives, who brought their children with them to netball games. By 1977, 6,058 senior teams and 2,816 primary school teams were registered with the New Zealand Netball Association. New Zealand hosted the fourth Netball World Championships
1975 Netball World Championships
The 1975 World Netball Championships was the fourth staging of the World Netball Championships, the premier tournament in international netball, held every four years. The 1975 tournament was held in Auckland, New Zealand and featured 11 teams. Australia were the winners, claiming their third...
in 1975, coming third behind England
England national netball team
The England national netball team represent England in international netball competition. The team are presently co-captained by Karen Atkinson and Sonia Mkoloma, and were coached by Australian Sue Hawkins through to the end of the 2011 World Netball Championships in Singapore...
and Australia.
In 1991, the New Zealand Netball Association changed its name to the current 'Netball New Zealand'. In 1998, the Silver Ferns won a silver medal when netball became a medal sport at the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
for the first time in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
; a gold medal would come eight years later in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. That year also saw the formation of a revamped national netball competition, with ten new teams representing twelve regional entities (each representing one or more regions
Regions of New Zealand
The region is the top tier of local government in New Zealand. There are 16 regions of New Zealand. Eleven are governed by an elected regional council, while five are governed by territorial authorities which also perform the functions of a regional council and thus are known as unitary authorities...
) across New Zealand, in what became known as the National Bank Cup
National Bank Cup
The National Bank Cup was the pre-eminent national netball competition in New Zealand between 1998 and 2007. From 2008, it was replaced by the ANZ Championship.-Format:...
.
New Zealand netball has enjoyed recent success in the 2000s, with the national team winning the 2003 Netball World Championships
2003 Netball World Championships
The 2003 World Netball Championships were held in Kingston, Jamaica between 10 July and 20 July. It was the eleventh World Netball Championships. After 100 matches, the New Zealand national team, the Silver Ferns, won the tournament, defeating Australia to win the World Championship for the first...
in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, gold medals in the 2006
Netball at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games was the third Games at which netball, one of the few women-only sports in the Commonwealth Games, was played. The preliminary matches were held at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in the Melbourne suburb of Parkville, with the finals being held at the multi-purpose...
and 2010
Netball at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Netball was one of 17 sports that were contested at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Netball is a core sport for women at the Commonwealth Games, and one of only three events in the 2010 programme for women only...
Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
, as well as the first two editions of the World Netball Series
World Netball Series
The World Netball Series is an international netball competition that was contested for the first time in October 2009. The new competition features modified "fastnet" rules, and has been likened to Twenty20 cricket and rugby sevens...
. The success of the national team, combined with a long-standing rivalry with Australia, has helped the sport to maintain a high profile in New Zealand. Netball has recently developed into a semi-professional sport with the start of the ANZ Championship.
Governance
Netball New Zealand is the governing body that oversees organised netball competition at school, club, regional, national and international level in New Zealand. It was founded from the New Zealand Basketball Association, which was established in 1924, and has helped to organise standard rules of play both internationally and within New Zealand. In recent years, Netball New Zealand secured the 2007 Netball World Championships2007 Netball World Championships
The 2007 World Netball Championships was the 12th staging of the World Netball Championships, a quadrennial international netball world championship co-ordinated by the International Federation of Netball Associations , inaugurated in 1963....
, after hosting rights were withdrawn from Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état
2006 Fijian coup d'état
The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 occurred as a continuation of the pressure which had been building since the military unrest of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état and 2005-2006 Fijian political crisis....
. Netball New Zealand recently helped to organise the ANZ Championship in conjunction with Netball Australia
Netball Australia
Netball Australia is the peak governing body for the sport of netball in Australia. The organisation's stated objectives for Australian netball are to achieve national and international success in competition, encourage greater participation and spectator involvement, and ensure excellence in all...
.
Netball New Zealand oversees 12 regional netball associations in regional and regional-representative netball. In elite domestic netball, Netball New Zealand also supervises five ANZ Championship franchises, which replaced the eight National Bank Cup franchises after 2007.
Player development
Organised netball in New Zealand usually starts at local club or school level at around 5–7 years of age. At this stage, players focus on learning the rules of the game, as well as ball skills and basic game play. Fully competitive netball begins at around 13 years of age, although interschool competition often starts during primary school. At this stage, young players can play for a school team or for an out-of-school club team. School teams compete against other school teams in their region, with the best four teams from each of three national 'regions' competing in the annual New Zealand Secondary School Championships. Exceptional players can be invited to participate in a development camp, from which the New Zealand Secondary Schools team is chosen.Players in out-of-school club competition compete in regional and regional-representative (national) competitions. Regional development programmes allow selected players to compete in U-15 and U-17 national competitions. After this, players may trial for entry into the New Zealand U-19 and U-21 teams, which compete at the New Zealand Age Group Championships. Open-age regional competition can, for talented players, lead to competing in the New Zealand Netball Championships. Successful players can be chosen to play in a franchise in the ANZ Championship. From this point, the highest levels of netball in New Zealand are selection for the New Zealand Accelerant squad, and ultimately the New Zealand national team, the Silver Ferns.
National competitions
The first national netball competition in New Zealand was held in 1926. Presently, the three main national netball tournaments are the New Zealand National Championships, the New Zealand Age Group Championships and the New Zealand Secondary School Championships. The National Championships are contested between regional-representative teams, and provide players for the ANZ Championship franchises. U-19 and U-21 teams compete at the New Zealand Age Group Championships. The New Zealand Secondary School Championships provides players for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team. Until the late 1990s, a national club championship was also held, known as the Coca-Cola Cup.National Bank Cup
Elite domestic netball competition emerged in 1998, when the Coca-Cola Cup was changed into a franchise-based competition, with ten new teams representing 12 regional areas. After four years, the competition was renamed the "National Bank Cup". Over its ten-year run, the competition was dominated by the Southern StingSouthern Sting
The Southern Sting were a netball team based in Invercargill, New Zealand that competed in The National Bank Cup competition, formerly known as the Coca Cola Cup....
. The final season was played in 2007, with the Southern Sting winning their seventh title. It was replaced in 2008 by a new trans-Tasman
Trans-Tasman
Trans-Tasman is an adjective used primarily in Australia and New Zealand, which signifies an interrelationship between both countries. Its name originates from the Tasman Sea which lies between the two countries...
competition, the ANZ Championship.
ANZ Championship
The ANZ Championship was inaugurated in April 2008 as the premier domestic netball competition in both New Zealand and Australia. The competition comprises ten teams, five each from New Zealand and Australia.| ANZ Championship franchises | ||
| Franchise | Representative area | |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | Northern Mystics Northern Mystics The Northern Mystics are a New Zealand netball team based in Auckland that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was formed in 2007 as an amalgamation of two teams from the National Bank Cup – the Northern Force and the Auckland Diamonds – after the competition was... |
Northland, Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world... -Waitakere Waitakere Waitakere City was the name of a city which existed from 1989 until 2010 in the Auckland region. It was New Zealand's fifth largest city, with an annual growth of about 2%... , Counties Manukau Counties Manukau Counties Manukau may refer to the;*Counties Manukau Rugby Union*Counties Manukau rugby league team... |
| Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic are a New Zealand netball team based in Hamilton that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was formed in 1999 during the Coca-Cola Cup as an amalgamation of two teams from the inaugural season, the Waikato Wildcats and the Bay of... |
Waikato Waikato The Waikato Region is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato, Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupo District, and parts of Rotorua District... , Bay of Plenty Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name... |
|
| Central Pulse Central Pulse The Central Pulse are a New Zealand netball team based in Wellington that compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The Pulse represent several New Zealand regions in the North and South Islands, from East Cape in the north to Tasman and Marlborough in the south, and were formed as an... |
Central North Island North Island The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island... , Wellington Wellington Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range... , Tasman Tasman, New Zealand The Tasman Region is both a region and a district of New Zealand. It borders with the West Coast Region, Marlborough Region and the Nelson Region. It is both a region and a unitary authority, and the District Council sits at Richmond, with Community Boards serving outlying communities in Motueka... |
|
| Canterbury Tactix | Canterbury Canterbury, New Zealand The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-... |
|
| Southern Steel Southern Steel The Southern Steel are a New Zealand netball team based in Invercargill that compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was formed as an amalgamation of two teams from the National Bank Cup, the Dunedin-based Otago Rebels and the Invercargill-based Southern Sting... |
Otago Otago Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is... , Southland |
|
| Australia | New South Wales Swifts New South Wales Swifts The New South Wales Swifts are an Australian netball team based in Sydney that compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The Swifts were formed in 2007 as an amalgamation of two teams from the Commonwealth Bank Trophy – the Sydney Swifts and the Hunter Jaegers... |
New South Wales New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... |
| Melbourne Vixens Melbourne Vixens The Melbourne Vixens are an Australian netball team in Melbourne that compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The team were formed in 2007 as an amalgamation of the Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels from the previous Commonwealth Bank Trophy. Sharelle McMahon and Bianca Chatfield have... |
Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... (Victoria Victoria (Australia) Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively.... ) |
|
| Queensland Firebirds Queensland Firebirds The Queensland Firebirds are an Australian netball team based in Brisbane that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The Firebirds were formed as one of the foundation teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy , previously the premier netball league in Australia, which was contested... |
Queensland Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean... |
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| Adelaide Thunderbirds Adelaide Thunderbirds The Adelaide Thunderbirds are an Australian netball team based in Adelaide that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The Thunderbirds were formed as one of the foundation teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy , previously the premier netball league in Australia, which was... |
Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million... (South Australia South Australia South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland... ) |
|
| West Coast Fever West Coast Fever The West Coast Fever are an Australian netball team based in Perth that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was one of the foundation teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy, formerly the premier domestic league in Australia. They contested every year of the... |
Western Australia Western Australia Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east... |
|
With the start of the ANZ Championship, netball has become a semi-professional sport in both New Zealand and Australia. For the 2008 season, each New Zealand franchise agreed to spend NZ$300,000 on player retainer
Retainer
Retainer may refer to:* Retainer , a person, especially a soldier, in the service of a lord in the late Middle Ages** Retainer sacrifice, the sacrifice of a human servant* Retainer...
s, with a $12,000 minimum retainer for each player; high-profile players are expected to earn up to $50,000 during the competition. The ANZ Championship is predicted to raise the status of netball to a fully professional sport in both countries within several years.
However, the initial seasons have seen New Zealand teams struggling to keep up with their Australian counterparts, with only two teams having qualifed for the finals, and no New Zealand team winning the competition. Media reports in New Zealand have attributed the relative lack of success for New Zealand teams to a lack of player depth, restrictions on training hours, and delays in allowing franchises to finalise player selections.
Silver Ferns
The Silver Ferns are often the national focus for netball in New Zealand. They are currently highest rank team in the IFNA world rankingsIFNA World Rankings
The IFNA World Rankings are published by the International Federation of Netball Associations to make it possible to compare the relative strengths of internationally active national netball teams. Initially, rankings were based on the results from the Netball World Championships, and released...
, followed by Australia. The Silver Ferns had been the highest-ranked team in the world after winning the 2003 Netball World Championships, were replaced by Australia after the 2007 Championships, but again became number one in January 2011. Indeed, the two countries have always had a keen and close rivalry in netball, as in many other sports – one that has sustained interest in the sport in New Zealand. The Silver Ferns currently compete in two annual three-test series against Australia. Regular tests are also held with England and Jamaica. Current head coach Ruth Aitken
Ruth Aitken
Ruth Ellina Aitken, ONZM is a New Zealand former international-level netball player and former head coach of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns...
has been in charge of the Silver Ferns since 2001, and has been contracted to continue as head coach until at least 2012.
Other national teams
Fastnet FernsThe Fastnet Ferns represent New Zealand at the World Netball Series
World Netball Series
The World Netball Series is an international netball competition that was contested for the first time in October 2009. The new competition features modified "fastnet" rules, and has been likened to Twenty20 cricket and rugby sevens...
, a recently developed international competition played under fastnet
Fastnet
Fastnet can refer to:*Fastnet International Schools Regatta, a regatta held in County Cork, Ireland*Fastnet Line, a passenger ferry service operating between Wales and Ireland...
rules. In 2010, the New Zealand team sent to the World Netball Series comprised players from the wider Silver Ferns squad, as well as non-international players. Robyn Broughton
Robyn Broughton
Robyn Broughton MNZM is a New Zealand netball coach. Broughton coached the Southern Sting from 1998–2007 during the National Bank Cup, winning seven titles in ten years. She was also an assistant coach for the New Zealand national netball team from 2000–02, and is currently a national selector...
was appointed head coach of the 2010 Fastnet Ferns.
Accelerant Squad
The Accelerant Squad replaced the New Zealand A squad in December 2008 as the second-tier national netball team, immediately below the level of the Silver Ferns. Players in this squad are selected from domestic competitions such as the ANZ Championship and are recognised as being potential members of the Silver Ferns by 2011. A maximum of eight players are expected to be in the Accelerant Squad at any given time, which will be supervised by Silver Ferns head coach Ruth Aitken.
New Zealand U21
The New Zealand U21 team includes players under 21 years of age that are considered to have the potential to progress to higher levels of netball in the future. Players are selected from domestic netball competitions. The New Zealand U21 team won the 2005 World Youth Netball Cup in Miami. As of October 2008, Yvette McCausland-Durie is the team coach.
New Zealand Secondary Schools
The New Zealand Secondary Schools team includes talented players of secondary school age. Players are selected from a development camp after the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships. In June 2008, the New Zealand Secondary Schools team won the International Schoolgirls Netball Challenge in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. As of June 2008, Kiri Wills is the team coach.
International netball
The Silver Ferns regularly compete with other national netball teams, both in tours and in one-match tests. The Silver Ferns also compete in test series and in world championships, which are usually televised in New Zealand. The New Zealand A, New Zealand U21 and New Zealand Secondary Schools teams also compete internationally.Netball World Championships
The IFNA Netball World Championships represents the highest level of competitive netball in the world. The Silver Ferns have competed at each tournament, the first of which started in 1963. New Zealand has won three Championships – in 1967, 1987 and 2003 – and have always finished in the top three places. The majority of Netball World Championship finals are contested between New Zealand and Australia: the intense rivalry between the two teams at the World Championships becomes a focus of national attention in New Zealand.Commonwealth Games
Netball has been a core sport in the Commonwealth GamesCommonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
since 1998. New Zealand and Australia have contested all four gold medal matches: Australia won the gold medal in 1998 and 2002, while New Zealand has won gold in 2006 and 2010. The gold medal matches in 2002 and 2010 were two of the most closely contested matches in netball history, both going into double extra time.
Test matches
Regular home series have been played in New Zealand since 1986, with the Fisher & Paykel Series starting in 1996; New WorldNew World (supermarket)
New World is a New Zealand full-service supermarket chain owned by the Foodstuffs cooperative.Founded in 1963, New World was the first American-style full-service supermarket brand of Foodstuffs, and the second in New Zealand...
are the current naming sponsors for test matches in New Zealand. Australia, England, South Africa and Jamaica play regular test matches against New Zealand, with occasional matches against other national teams, in particular from Pacific Island nations. In 2010 the Constellation Cup
Constellation Cup
The Constellation Cup is contested by the Australian national netball team and the New Zealand national netball team. It is awarded each year to the team that wins the most test matches between the two.The trophy cup was first publicly unveiled in August 2010...
was introduced as the trophy for test match competition with Australia, similar to the Bledisloe Cup
Bledisloe Cup
Rugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and...
in rugby union.
Media coverage
Netball receives wide media coverage in New Zealand. Regular television coverage of netball games in New Zealand began in the 1960s, and in the 1980s netball was included in the 'big four' sports – along with rugby union, rugby league and cricket – that received increased coverage from Television New ZealandTelevision New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
, as well as being exempt from paying for broadcast time, and even receiving a minimal 'rights fee'.
Domestic matches in the ANZ Championship are televised live on SKY Sports
SKY Network Television
Sky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...
, which also televised the National Bank Cup; delayed coverage is broadcasted by both SKY Sports and Television New Zealand. International matches involving the Silver Ferns are televised on TVNZ Channel ONE (free-to-air) and SKY Sports (pay TV). Radio Network
The Radio Network
The Radio Network is the wholly owned New Zealand division of radio company Australian Radio Network, a partnership of Clear Channel and APN News & Media. It is the owner and operator of the Newstalk ZB News service and nationwide Newstalk ZB, Classic Hits, ZM, Coast, Hauraki, Easy Mix, Flava and...
provides live commentary on ANZ Championship matches.
The final of the 1999 Netball World Championships
1999 Netball World Championships
The 1999 World Netball Championships was the tenth staging of the World Netball Championships, the premier tournament in international netball, held every four years. The 1999 tournament was held in Christchurch, New Zealand and was contested by 24 teams. All matches were held at the Westpac...
between New Zealand and Australia was, at the time, the highest rating programme ever for then-televiser TV2. Another trans-Tasman Silver Ferns match in 2008 attracted a higher television audience than for the deciding rugby union match of the Bledisloe Cup
Bledisloe Cup
Rugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and...
earlier that year.
Demographics
In New Zealand, as in other netball-playing countries, netball is considered primarily a women's sport, although men's and mixed teams do exist at various levels. In the New Zealand Sport and Physical Activity Surveys conducted by Sport and Recreation New ZealandSport and Recreation New Zealand
Sport and Recreation New Zealand is the New Zealand government body responsible for community sport and recreation programs. It was formed on 1 January 2003 and took over the functions of the Hillary Commission, the New Zealand Sports Foundation and the policy arm of the Office of Tourism and...
from 1997–2001, netball had the highest participation rate of any organised sport among girls aged 5–17 (18%) and adult women (10%); netball did not rank among the top 15 sports among men in any age group. Netball had the second highest participation rate among Māori respondents (20%), behind touch football (25%). By comparison, netball ranked eighth among European New Zealanders
New Zealand European
The term New Zealand European refers to New Zealanders of European descent who identify as New Zealand Europeans rather than some other ethnic group...
(6%) and tenth among other ethnic groups (7%). Netball was played by 19% of adults aged 18–24, 13% of adults aged 25–34, 6% of adults aged 35–49 and 1% of adults over the age of 50.
External links
- Netball New Zealand – official website