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![]() Taurua in 2020 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Noeline Taurua | ||
Born | Papakura, Auckland, New Zealand | 26 March 1968||
Netball career | |||
Playing position(s): GA, WA | |||
Years | National team(s) | Caps | |
1994–99 | ![]() | 34 | |
Coaching career | |||
Years | Team(s) | ||
2002–13 | Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic | ||
2016 | Southern Steel | ||
2017–19 | Sunshine Coast Lightning | ||
2018–present | ![]() | ||
Medal record |
Dame Noeline Taurua DNZM (born 26 March 1968) is a New Zealand international netball coach and former representative player. She is currently head coach of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns.
Taurua was born in Papakura to Kingi and Polly Taurua, her fathers tribe was Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Whātua on her mothers side. Taurua is the youngest of five children. [1] Taurua expressed an interest in Athletics in her schooling years. [2]
Taurua was a member of the Silver Ferns from 1993–99. During that time she won a silver medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur [3] and a bronze medal at the 1995 Netball World Championships in Birmingham. A knee injury in 1999 ended her playing career, having played in 34 test matches for the Silver Ferns. [4]
In 2011, Taurua acted as unofficial assistant coach to the Silver Ferns alongside Ruth Aitken [5] The follow year she accepted an official position as Silver Ferns assistant coach after being offered the role several times. [6] In domestic netball, Taurua coached the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic from 2002–13, leading them to two National Bank Cup titles (2005, 2006) and one ANZ Championship title (2012). [7]
In 2013, Taurua decided to finish her coaching duties for the Silver Ferns after performing in the role for 1.5 seasons for family reasons [8] She also stepped down as head coach of the Magic after spending 11 years at the franchise. [5] Her replacement at the Magic was former New South Wales Swifts coach Julie Fitzgerald. [9] Taurua later accepted a role as head coach for Southern Steel in their final 2016 ANZ Championship season. [10]
After the dissolution of the ANZ Championship in 2016, the Sunshine Coast Lightning announced the signing of Taurua heading into the 2017 season of the Suncorp Super Netball league in Australia. Taurua coached the Lightning to back-to-back premierships in the new competition, before being selected as the head coach of the New Zealand national netball team in August 2018. [11] During her time as Silver Ferns head coach, New Zealand won the 2018 Fast5 Netball World Series and 2019 Netball World Cup. [12] [13] As well as being the national team coach, Taurua continued to coach the Lightning in Australia. On 20 August 2019, Taurua announced her departure from the Lightning after her third year coaching the team. [14] She departed the Lightning having coached them to two consecutive premierships (2017, 2018) and one minor premiership (2019).
Taurua was not shortlisted for the role of headcoach in 2015 [15] however after the resignation of Janine Southby from a failed Commonwealth Games campaign accepted the job as the Silver Ferns 11th coach [16]
In 2019 Taurua coached the Silver Ferns to a 52-51 win over the Australian Diamonds in the Netball World Cup in Liverpool [17] a competition the team hadn't won since 2003. [18] Successful again in her career Taurua coached the team to win the 2021 Constellation Cup ending a nine year drought. [19]
Netball New Zealand were delighted once again when Taurua confirmed she would be coaching the Silver Ferns until 2023. [20] Taurua coached the Silver Ferns to win a Bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. [21]
Taurua is known for her strict fitness criteria for any Silver Fern trialists and players. [22]
In the 2020 New Year Honours, Taurua was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to netball. [27]
Taurua was appointed to the High Performance Sport New Zealand board in September 2022, this was to work alongside athletic gold medalist Valerie Adams, Black Sox coach Don Tricker and Paralympic swimmer Duane Kale. [28]
Taurua is a mother of five children and married to Edward Goldsmith. [29]
The New Zealand national netball team, commonly known as the Silver Ferns, represent Netball New Zealand in international netball tournaments such as the Netball World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the Taini Jamison Trophy, the Constellation Cup, the Netball Quad Series and the Fast5 Netball World Series. They have also represented New Zealand at the World Games. New Zealand made their Test debut in 1938. As of 2023, New Zealand have been world champions on five occasions and Commonwealth champions twice. They are regularly ranked number two in the World Netball Rankings.
Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic are a New Zealand netball team based in Hamilton. Between 1999 and 2007, they played in the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship. Since 2017, Magic have represented Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty in the ANZ Premiership. Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty is the governing body that represents the North Island regions of Waikato and Bay of Plenty. During the National Bank Cup era, Magic were premiers in 2005 and 2006. During the ANZ Championship era, Magic were the most successful New Zealand team. In 2008 they were minor premiers and they were grand finalists in 2008 and 2010 before winning the overall title in 2012. They were the only New Zealand team to win the ANZ Championship.
Joline Henry is a New Zealand former netball player. Henry was a member of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, and has played for the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic (2008-2009) and the Northern Mystics (2010-2011) in the ANZ Championship. In 2012, Henry played with the Central Pulse for the 2012 ANZ Championship.
Laura Robyn Langman is a retired New Zealand international netball player, who last played domestic netball for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in the Australian Super Netball league. Primarily a midcourt player, Langman is a former captain and vice-captain of the New Zealand national netball team. She is the most capped player in the history of the Silver Ferns, having overtaken Irene van Dyk's record of 145 test matches in October 2018.
Casey May Kopua is a retired New Zealand international netball player and former captain of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, and the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic.
Katrina Rore is a New Zealand international netball player. Rore is the current vice-captain of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, and plays for the Central Pulse in the ANZ Championship. Rore signed to the New South Wales swifts in the suncorp super netball league in the latter half of the 2018–2019 season following the netball World Cup.
Debbie Fuller is a New Zealand netball coach and former international netball player. Fuller was a defender in the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, from 1993 to 1996, during which time she competed at the 1995 Netball World Championships in Birmingham. Fuller retired from the Silver Ferns after 1996, spending a year in Argentina. She returned for the 1997 provincial season, and the following year captained Canterbury in the inaugural National Bank Cup. Fuller moved to the Capital Shakers in 1999, playing with the Wellington-based side until her retirement in 2002.
Sulu Fitzpatrick, also known as Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick, is a New Zealand netball and rugby sevens player. She plays for the Northern Mystics in the ANZ Championships. She can play the Goal Keeper, Goal Defence, and Wing Defence positions. She is of Samoan heritage.
Maia Wilson is a New Zealand netball international. She was a member of the New Zealand teams that won the 2017 Netball World Youth Cup and the 2021 Constellation Cup. She also represented New Zealand at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Wilson made her senior league debut with Central Pulse during the 2016 ANZ Championship season. Since 2017, she has played for Northern Stars in the ANZ Premiership. In both 2018 and 2019, she was the ANZ Premiership top goal scorer. Wilson was a prominent member of the 2019 and 2022 Northern Stars teams that were ANZ Premiership grand finalists. Ahead of the 2021 season, she was appointed Stars captain. Wilson is also a former New Zealand women's basketball international.
Kate Alexandra Heffernan is a New Zealand netballer and cricketer. In netball, she currently plays for Southern Steel in wing defence, centre and wing attack. In 2021, she received her maiden call up to the New Zealand national netball team, and made her debut for the side in 2022, at the Commonwealth Games. In cricket, she played as a left-arm medium bowler for Otago, as well as making two Twenty20 International appearances for New Zealand.
Kelly Jury is a New Zealand netball international. She represented New Zealand at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games. During the ANZ Championship era Jury played for Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. Since 2020, she has played for Central Pulse in the ANZ Premiership. Jury was a prominent member of the Pulse teams that won the 2020 and 2022 ANZ Premierships. Alongside Tiana Metuarau, she was co-captain of the 2022 Pulse team. She was the 2022 ANZ Premiership Player of the Year and shared the 2022 Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award with Grace Nweke.
Reinga Bloxham, also known as Reinga Te Huia, is a former New Zealand netball player and current coach. During the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup era, she played for Southern Sting. Since 2016, she has served as head coach of Southern Steel in the ANZ Premiership. In 2017 and 2018, Bloxham guided Steel to two successive ANZ Premiership titles.
Gina Crampton is a New Zealand netball international. She was a member of the New Zealand teams that won the 2019 Netball World Cup and the 2021 Constellation Cup. Crampton was also a member of the Southern Steel teams that won the 2017 and 2018 ANZ Premierships. She was named the 2016 New Zealand ANZ Championship Player of the Year and the 2019 ANZ Premiership Player of the Year. Crampton has captained both Southern Steel and New Zealand. Since 2021 she has played for Northern Stars.
Kimiora Poi is a New Zealand netball international. She was a member of the New Zealand teams that won the 2017 Netball World Youth Cup, the 2018 Fast5 Netball World Series and the 2021 Constellation Cup. Since 2018, Poi has played for Mainland Tactix in the ANZ Premiership. Poi was a prominent member of the 2020 and 2021 Mainland Tactix teams that played in two successive grand finals. Ahead of the 2022 season, Poi was appointed Tactix captain.
Karin Burger is a New Zealand netball international. She was a member of the New Zealand teams that won the 2019 Netball World Cup and the 2021 Constellation Cup. Burger has also played for both Central Pulse and Mainland Tactix in the ANZ Premiership. She was a member of the Pulse teams that won 2019 and 2020 ANZ Premiership titles. While playing for Tactix, she was named 2021 ANZ Premiership Player of the Year.
Tiana Metuarau is a New Zealand netball international. Between 2017 and 2020, she was a prominent member of the Central Pulse team that won the 2018 Super Club title and the 2019 and 2020 ANZ Premiership titles. In 2022, Metuarau was co-captain of the Pulse team that won a third ANZ Premiership title.
Samantha Winders, previously known as Samantha Sinclair, is a New Zealand netball international. She represented New Zealand at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and was a prominent member of the New Zealand team that won the 2021 Constellation Cup. She captained New Zealand for the third test against England during the 2021 Taini Jamison Trophy Series. She was subsequently named the 2021 Silver Fern Player of the Year. Between 2014 and 2022, she played for Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, initially in the ANZ Championship and later in the ANZ Premiership. Between 2020 and 2022, she served as Magic captain.
Grace Nweke is a New Zealand netball international. She first competed for New Zealand in September 2021, becoming the fourth person of African descent to play for the team, following in the footsteps of Irene Van Dyk, Leana de Bruin and Karin Burger, all born in South Africa.
Erena Mikaere is a former New Zealand netball international. Mikaere was a member of three premiership winning teams. She was a prominent member of the Sunshine Coast Lightning teams that won the 2017 and 2018 Suncorp Super Netball titles. She was also a fringe member of the 2012 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic team that won the ANZ Championship title. During the ANZ Championship era, she also played for Southern Steel and West Coast Fever. She was the first New Zealand player to play for an Australian ANZ Championship team. During the ANZ Premiership era, she has played for Northern Mystics and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic.