Silver Ferns defenders Karin Burger, front, and Kelly Jury put the squeeze on Diamonds shooter Sophie Garbin in the first Constellation Cup match. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Silver Ferns upset the world champion Australian Diamonds to take an early lead in the Constellation Cup - now they need to back it up.
New Zealand defeated the Diamonds by 14 goals in Wellington on Sunday for the biggest win over their trans-Tasman rivals in more than a decade.
However, defender Karin Burger said before the series opener the squad had one of their worst practices.
Fresh off a successful five-day training camp between the series against the England Roses and the four-test Constellation Cup with the Diamonds, Burger said one practice was a wake-up call.
"Everybody came out of the camp feeling really happy about our performances and it was potentially our first training back for the [Diamonds] series that felt a little bit flat.
"It didn't feel necessarily the way we would have wanted it and that's exactly the dip that we needed to get a kick up our bums and sort our stuff out and have those conversations with each other - not just amongst players but management as well.
"Just to have that cohesion now in the group is a pretty good feeling."
No angry words were spoken but "uncomfortable" conversations were had between players who Burger said were "well-connected" off-court.
"Which was the frustrating thing for us - not being able to show that on court - so [we] had some tough conversations amongst each other... in a very good way.
"I think those are sometimes the uncomfortable ones that you don't necessarily want to have but you break through some barriers and there is a deeper level of connection.
"We 100 percent have each other's back and especially when you come up against a team like Aussie, you definitely need that."
Silver Ferns Grace Nweke (L) with Australia's Courtney Bruce during the Constellation Cup - New Zealand Silver Ferns v Australia Diamonds at TSB Photo: photosport
Burger liked where this squad was headed. She said they did not pay too much attention to the world rankings but "to a certain degree we have to".
"What's the point of playing if we're not trying to be number one?
"So there is an element [of that] but trying to not let that be a pressure that takes us away from the goal."
Key events such as the World Cup were an end goal, but at the moment the team was just taking it "day by day", Burger said.
"The pinnacle events are the key ones that we are looking to win and ... we've got two or three more years leading into that next one."
The Silver Ferns finished fourth at the Netball World Cup in South Africa last year - the first time they had ever left the tournament without a medal.
"Considering how our last one went, we've got a bit of work to do. But seeing that we are at this point now, and how we have progressed, and how quickly we have progressed, I'm really excited for what the next two or three years are going to look like.
"It's a good feeling to be amongst players that are all battling to be out there.
"We're supporting each other to be the best and knowing whoever is out there, everyone has skin in the game and everybody has contributed to those being out there so [it is] very much a team effort."
The Silver Ferns' first task, however, was to protect their home advantage.
Game two of the Constellation Cup is on Wednesday in Auckland and coach Dame Noeline Taurua said they were treating the game as "must win".
They were taking nothing for granted, she said.
Dame Noeline said the team knew Australia would come out to try and "nullify" the Ferns, but they had taken confidence from the first match and had the "mental toughness to be able to do it again".
Changes to the way the Constellation Cup was decided meant home games were extra important, Burger said.
"If we can get that 2 and 0 here that means there is only one we need 100 percent to get [in Australia]."
If the series ended with both teams tied 2-2, series decider time would be played to determine the outright winner of the Constellation Cup. Scores will return to zero and play will consist of two seven-minute halves, with a half-time interval of four minutes.
If, at the end of series decider time, the scores were tied, the match would move into a period of series decider additional time.
In the event of a draw at the end of extra time, play will continue until one team leads by two goals.
Australia huddle after their loss during the Constellation Cup Photo: Marty Melville
Dame Noeline said her side needed to know the whole Diamonds squad if their success was to continue - after they had played all 12 players in game one.
"We need to know everybody out there and how that is going to change either in their rhythm or their timing."
Burger knew there had been background noise from some fans after losses to England and a poor showing at the last Netball World Cup, but she said they wanted to put on another good home performance for those who had stuck with them.
"The ones that have been supporting us and backing us 100 percent - those are the ones we want to give back to and just show them that they're backing us for a reason."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.