Newest Silver Fern shocked by call-up against world champs

Newly minted Silver Fern Georgia Heffernan says her jaw dropped when coach Dame Noeline Taurua told her she was going to debut against Australia.

It wasn't the debut that anyone was expecting.

The 24-year-old wasn't originally named in the team to compete in the Nations Cup in England.

In the absence of captain and starting goal attack Ameliaranne Ekenasio, and regulars Maia Wilson and Tiana Metuarau, the New Zealand shooting stocks were looking thin.

Amorangi Malesala, who had a break-through season with the Stars last year, was named in the team for the first time after impressing at the December trials.

At that point in time, the Silver Ferns coach didn't feel like anyone else was ready to join incumbents Grace Nweke and Amelia Walmsley, so she only picked three shooters, while Heffernan was to travel as a training partner.

But that changed once the team got to England and started preparing for the series.

"It was the night before the first Test, I got a message from Noels [Dame Noeline] saying if I could go to her room to have a quick chat," Heffernan said.

"She said that I was going to be in the 12 and on top of that 'we're going to start you' and I think my jaw dropped a little bit in that moment."

Dame Noeline said she was swayed to promote Heffernan to the playing 12 after they arrived in England and started training.

"Georgia presented herself very well. Her shot was stable, she absorbed a lot of information and in this environment you need to be able to take on information and action it straight away.

"Originally we had Amorangi [Malesala] and Amelia [Walmsley] that we were looking at in regards to goal attack, and they are still there.

"But what Georgia did in regards to her adding speed and the accuracy of everything she did, we just couldn't go past her."

To start your first international against Australia is hard enough but to do it for a full game at goal attack, would be one of the toughest gigs in netball.

Georgia became Silver Fern #185 and joined twin sister Kate, who played wing defence, in a rare family milestone in international netball.

"Honestly I did not expect to be going into this tour and starting and playing 60 minutes against Australia.

"It was so cool but it was very tough. I've watched a lot of games of Silver Ferns verse Aussie and it felt exactly like it looks. It was very physical but it was awesome and I absolutely loved it."

Heffernan didn't look flustered despite the attention she was receiving.

She had to deal with three different Australian defenders, as they rotated in with fresh legs to try to make her life hell.

"Honestly they were so physical but I just had to ignore that and get on with my job because I think that's one thing that the coaches did so well with me heading into that game is that they were so clear on what I needed to do.

"I could just focus on that and try not to get too worried about the attention I was getting because sometimes it was hard and I felt like I was getting a bit smothered but I was just trying to not let them know that.

"I was just trying to make sure that I didn't let them get on top of me too much …that was really cool to be honest."

Dame Noeline said she was impressed with the temperament Heffernan displayed against the world champions.

"We sort of found that out as she came into camp and how she presented herself and it was a matter of waiting to see how she would be able to handle Australia," Dame Noeline said.

"The way that they defended on her I thought she did a phenomenal job, she was still willing to go to the post. She did have a few errors early on but tightened herself and her workload in both attack and defence was huge."

Australia won the game 63-50 after the score line blew out in the final quarter.

The next day the Silver Ferns beat a quickly improving Uganda 65-60.

Georgia's parents originally weren't sure if they could make it to England as it is a busy time of year for them with a farm to run in West Otago, but as luck would have they did.

"Oh gosh they are so happy they did now. Mum would have been distraught if she missed my debut, it's so special having them here."

When the Silver Ferns coach told her she would be getting her first start, Georgia told her sister Kate straight away.

Kate has already amassed 32 Test caps for the Silver Ferns after debuting in 2022 and is a vice-captain for the series.

Their parents came to the hotel the night before the first Test to present Georgia her Silver Ferns dress.

"They came in and said a few words and presented my dress and it was after that I was like 'I've actually been told that I'm starting' I think mum actually started to cry when I told her that."

While Kate and Georgia are the third set of sisters to play for the Silver Ferns, they are the first sisters to actually play at the same time.

Sisters Te Paea and Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit have also played for New Zealand.

The unique thing about the Heffernan's, on top of being the first twins to play for the Ferns, is that their mother and aunty were the first set of sisters to play for New Zealand.

Mother Annette debuted in 1985, while aunt Maxine Blomquist was a Silver Fern from 1974 to 1982.

Forty years ago Blomquist in fact debuted at the same venue Georgia got her first test cap - the Wembley Stadium in London.

"For me and Kate growing up it was a bit of a childhood dream of ours to play for the Silver Ferns one day, let alone in the starting line together.

"I've been in the crowd a lot watching Kate play for the Ferns and I didn't know whether I would ever get here but I really wanted to …to do it together is pretty special for our whole family."

Heffernan is likely to experience another first later this week, when the Ferns meet England.

"Going from playing Aussie to Uganda was a completely different style but with England again they are different …we do have to do quite a lot of analysis on how we are going to play against them.

"I've learnt so much from Noeline and Briony this week, I'm just trying to soak it all up."

Australian coach Briony Akle has been brought in as a specialist for the tour.

"She's got knowledge all over the court but more focussed on the attack end with us …I've absolutely loved having her here, she's taught us so much so far."

England building depth

The Silver Ferns and England will be desperate to win on Sunday morning to make the final against Australia.

Dame Noeline said the New Zealand attacking end was much better against Uganda but they needed their in-circle defenders to get more ball.

England boast a mouth-watering shooting end and have reached new heights when it comes to depth.

"They are nearly becoming the same as Australia, when one person goes off another one comes on who has a point of difference, who's fit, who's ready, who's tenacious.

"I believe the investment that they've made probably to the level of the resources they have is translating to what you can see now with the depth they are growing and probably surpassing what we have definitely within New Zealand with having more options available to go on court."

The Roses also have a growing fan base.

Their recent series against South Africa was the highest-selling home three-match test series.

"The investment that has been made by their government into netball and the sponsorship England Netball has been able to get …where they are in the world I think that helps as well.

"Netball on this side of the world has gone on in leaps and bounds. The crowds are parochial, they have got a very confident England team who believe they can win everything.

"It's great for netball and the work that England Netball have done over the years, they are starting to reap those rewards."

The Silver Ferns meet England on Sunday morning in Leeds at 6:15am.

-RNZ