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Netball New Zealand boss Jennie Wyllie sympathises with short-changed netball fans, who have shelled out money to see a watered down England side.
The gloss has been taken off the Silver Ferns’ three-match Taini Jamison Trophy series against the Roses, starting on September 24 in Christchurch, with England bringing an understrength squad.
England have not selected anyone from their main squad at the recent Netball World Cup and head coach Jess Thirlby is also sitting out the tour. Assistant coach Liana Leota, a former Silver Ferns midcourter, will guide the side.
England’s selections blindsided NNZ, who hadn’t received any indication the Roses would be resting their key players.
It was supposed to be a hotly contested series between the Ferns and Roses after England prevailed 46-40 in a thrilling semifinal at the World Cup.
Wyllie felt for netball fans who had already purchased tickets for the games in Christchurch (September 24), Porirua (September 27) and Hamilton (September 30). The second test in Porirua is already sold out, while tickets were selling strongly for the other two matches.
Abigail Dougherty/Stuff
‘We’re angry’: Netball NZ boss Jennie Wyllie says they feel just as disappointed as fans by England’s watered down squad.
“We’re angry. We’re exactly the same as [the fans] are,” Wyllie said.
“What we can control is what [the Silver Ferns] put out on court and the quality of our product. What we have to be able to say to our fans is there is work for us to do off the back of our result at Netball World Cup [finishing fourth] and for the pride of the black dress.
“That’s what we will be doing and the product they will see out there.”
Tickets aren’t cheap either with premium adult tickets $50, and A reserve tickets $40 for an adult, $25 for a child, and $99 for a family in Christchurch. For the third test in Hamilton, A reserve tickets cost $50 for an adult, $35 for a child, and $136 for a family.
Ashley Vlotman/Getty Images
Netball fans won’t be able to see star England shooter Helen Housby, right, the MVP of the Netball World Cup, in the Taini Jamison Trophy.
B reserve tickets in Christchurch are $30 for an adult, $15 child, $72 family, while in Hamilton the B reserve prices are $35 for adults, $20 children, and $88 family.
A full-strength Silver Ferns squad is expected to be named on Monday, minus wing attack Gina Crampton who is on extended leave and won’t play in 2024.
It is the second year in a row Kiwi netball fans and NNZ have been let down by a travelling side after last year’s Taini Jamison Trophy fiasco against Jamaica. The Sunshine Girls failed to obtain visas in time and only arrived with seven players.
Ashley Vlotman/Getty Images
Silver Ferns defender Phoenix Karaka and England’s Natalie Metcalf tussle for possession in the Netball World Cup semifinal.
Wyllie spoke with England Netball CEO Fran Connolly and director of performance David Parsons on Friday morning.
She said they were apologetic and had never intended to disrespect the Silver Ferns or New Zealand netball fans. They stood by their squad decisions, wanting to look towards 2026 and 2027 pinnacle events. Several England players were managing injuries and on rest and recovery programmes, while legend Geva Mentor retired after the World Cup.
Shaun Roy/Getty Images
England celebrate beating the Silver Ferns in the semifinals of the Netball World Cup. None of those players will feature in the Taini Jamison Trophy.
“It will be really interesting to see if this English team does live up to their own perceptions of them being the future and an exciting crop of talent…
“Why don’t we critique England and ask them about the calibre of the players they are bringing [during the games] and let’s see if they are what they make them out to be.”
The fact there had been no communication from England Netball around what they were thinking with their squad hurt the most, Wyllie said.
She only found out early on Thursday morning after a NNZ colleague sent her the England squad when it landed on social media.
“I think it’s common courtesy to make sure that people you’re working with that you do have a really strong working relationship with are treated with respect.
“That would have been certainly something, the minimum, I would have expected from them is the communication around squad and also around their coaching lineup.”
Wyllie also voiced her frustrations with World Netball, who she had been in contact with since England’s squad announcement.
She believed World Netball needed to take a stronger stance around travelling team’s commitments and hold them to account when they were not met.
A detailed investigation into the Jamaican series from last year went to World Netball’s board in July and still had not been acted on she said, which was disappointing.
“I think it’s not the way World Netball should be representing itself. We’ve just had a Netball World Cup.
“This should be a time where women’s sport is riding a wave of popularity and visibility and we certainly want to support women’s sport and the global game and this is why we put our very best team out there.
“What we’re asking is for other netball world nations to step up and do the same and for World Netball to step up and expect better of travelling teams.”
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