Sport

Silver Ferns announce test series against England and Australia

11:05 am on 16 March 2024

Silver Ferns players celebrate victory over England in the 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medal match against England in Birmingham. Photo: Photosport

The Silver Ferns will host a three-test series against England and play four tests against Australia as part of Netball New Zealand's centenary celebrations this year.

New Zealand will test themselves against both of last year's Netball World Cup finalists in September and October, with both the Constellation Cup (Australia) and Taini Jamison Trophy (England) up for grabs.

The first Test against the Roses will be in Auckland on September 29 followed by clashes in Porirua and Invercargill.

Hannah Joseph of England. Photo: Photosport

Wellington and Auckland will host the Diamonds in the first two tests of the Constellation Cup in late October before the series heads across the Tasman, with the dates and venues for the two remaining test still to be confirmed by Netball Australia.

The Silver Ferns met both teams last year, coming from behind to beat a weakened England touring side to win the Taini Jamison Trophy before losing the trans-Tasman series on goal difference after it was draw at two games apiece.

Photo: Alexia Russell

Netball NZ this year becomes the first netball association in the world to reach the centenary milestone and chief executive Jennie Wyllie said there was no better way to celebrate than by taking on two of the world's premier teams.

"The world champion Australian side continue to set the bar in international netball, but we showed with two wins in the Constellation Cup in 2023, that we have what it takes to beat the best," Wyllie said.

"England continue to be a threat on the international stage which they showed with their silver medal at the Netball World Cup, and we look forward to welcoming them to our shores again for the Taini Jamison Trophy, a trophy which means a lot to the Silver Ferns."