Silver Ferns 'united' despite one of their lowest ebbs

Captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio says the Silver Ferns fourth place finish at the Netball World Cup in South Africa doesn't compare to the team's lowest ebb in 2018.

The Silver Ferns have failed to come away with a medal from the Netball World Cup for the first time in history after being beaten 52-45 by Jamaica in the bronze medal match.

Ekenasio said there was nothing left in the tank.

"Each individual who went out there tried their hardest … in regards to the intent and what people put out there I couldn't be more happier."

Ekenasio was part of the 2018 Commonwealth Games when the team failed to medal but didn't believe it was history repeating.

"It is really tough but I would definitely count these two campaigns as polar opposites. The heart and the ability for us to be really united - this one is a whole different kind of feel.

"Our young girls in there did really great and they're the ones who are going to be there in four years so if anything just to remind them that they don't want to be like this in four years' time and I think they will be amazing."

Was there anything that Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua would change about the last 10 days?

"Probably what I would change is Grace not getting injured, that would have been great for that not to happen. I think that would be a starting point.

"But I think when you look at the quality of Australia and England out there and we know because we were there in 2019 the discipline that's required to win games is massive, we don't quite have that at the moment but you can see teams who are in that realm," Dame Noeline said.

Coming into the tournament New Zealand had 478 test caps compared to Jamaica's 597 and England's 828.

"That makes a difference in regards to experience and our maturity out on court and the only way that you can get that is by being out there.

"We got to lick the wounds, take accountability for where we are."

Australia claimed their 12th World Cup title after beating England 61-45 in the gold medal match.

Earlier in the tournament England had beaten Australia for the first time at a World Cup and three days ago South Africa, who are ranked fifth in the world drew with New Zealand.

Dame Noeline said netball was evolving.

"There's like six teams who are vying for top. We're not number one, we're not number two or three at the moment we know that but we know other teams are chipping at the heels.

"I think for our branding or netball in general that can only be a good thing because you can't just have New Zealand and Australia vying for things."

Unfortunately wing attack Gina Crampton had to come off with an injury in the first two minutes of the match.

Kelly Jury did a good job marking shooter Jhaniele Fowler and Dame Noeline was also happy with young midcourters Kate Heffernan and Maddy Gordon.

"We were able to take that ball nicely through the court and get some fluidity and I think that also helped the attacking end but then we coughed up a bit [of ball] as we got on, hence changes being made."

Heffernan was named the midcourter of the tournament and Dame Noeline would like to see the core group of players there for the next cycle.

"That's the exciting thing, even like Kelly [Jury] she's got another cycle to go, Phoenix [Karaka] has got another cycle, Karin's got another cycle.

"So apart from probably an Ameliaranne and maybe Gina [Crampton] we're actually not looking too bad moving forward."

"Also when I look at maybe some of the other teams I would assume some people will drop off in the next cycle but still got a bit of work to do."

She said a lot of things have to go right to win a World Cup.

"It's the attention to detail …and the discipline when you are out on court. We ebbed and flowed throughout the tournament so we just weren't good enough to be able to compete at the level that we could of or should of."

Ekenasio was proud of the way the side stuck together in adversity.

"I think our ability to demand more from each other to continue to pull tighter rather than pull apart as the campaign went on."