Nathan Limm: NZ Herald sports reporter on Dame Noeline Taurua being reinstated as Silver Ferns coach
October 25, 2025 • 9 mins
A refreshed sense of direction for the Silver Ferns amid Dame Noeline Taurua's return as head coach.
Netball New Zealand's announced Taurua will resume her duties after the team's northern tour, with some revised operations.
The sport's national body say they've agreed to changes that support wellbeing and performance, including strengthening the player voice.
NZ Herald sports reporter Nathan Limm has labelled this situation a 'mess' - and wondered what took Netball NZ so long.
"They had to bow to public pressure...it's been six weeks since she was stood down, 10 days out from the Taini Jamison series. I felt like it got to the point where if they wanted her back, she'd be back."
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks dB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Right.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
A resolution has been found in the ongoing Silver Ferns
coaching saga. Netball New Zealand has confirmed Dame Nolen Toto
has been reinstated as Silver Fern's head coach. She will
return to the role at the end of the year
and to discuss I'm joined by the New Zealand Herald
Netball reporter Nathan Limb.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Good morning morning, Francesca.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Thank you for popping in to talk to us about this.
What have you made of this? Did Netball New Zealand
basically have no choice here?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It's difficult, Hey, I think they had to bow to
public pressure. I'd actually got to the point I said
on herold Now earlier this week that I thought that
this has gone on so long. It's been six weeks
since she was stood down, ten days out from the
Tiny Jamison series. I felt like it got to the
point where if they wanted her back, she'd be back.
You know, how long does it take to move through
(00:58):
these sort of discussions and we still don't know what
the sticking points were. So I'm actually going to be
talking to Netborle New Zealand Chief executive Jenny Wiley, the
board chair Matt Winner at ten forty five this morning.
So I'm going to be putting all these questions to
them and people will be able to read about it
in the New Zealand Herald are later this afternoon. But
you're right, it's been a complete mess. If we date
(01:18):
this all the way back to the January camp where
apparently this all.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Went down, it just feels like an hr mess.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah, just to this point, because if it dates all
the way back to January, they've had what has it
been nine months since then nine ten months they've had
to sort of work through a resolution here and we
again we don't know the details. And what's that sort
of resulted in is we got to the point where
they're like, oh crap, we've got a standard down ahead
of the Tiny Jamison series. And then the public, with
(01:47):
their understandable loyalty to Tote and everything that she's achieved
in her career, one of the greatest coaches, if not
the greatest, that Silver Fans have ever had, wanted to
hold someone accountable and that came in the form of
the players. But because of the position that they were
in in terms of a contractual agreement around employment. They
are unable to release any information and so the public
(02:07):
have gone on this sort of witch hunt to identify
which players which really complained. Yeah, because no one has
any of the context necessary to make those conclusions over
who is actually at fault, and then players who haven't
been involved have ended up being dragged under the bus.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
What do we know about the agreement that has been
reached here?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
So basically, they put out a release at six pm
last night and they said that they have their discussions
over they have been able to come to an agreement
and Total has agreed to certain changes within the Silver
Ferns environment, particularly with player voice and player driven voice,
but also some personnel changes. Now there aren't any specifics
(02:46):
of what those are or what any of this actually
looks in practical terms. So again, this is something that
I'll put to the Netball New Zealand leadership this morning
and hopefully we can get some clarity around it, because,
as I said, throughout this whole process, clarity and information
has been very hard to come by.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Well, what I don't understand is they put out a
press release it's said that no only will return is
Silver Fern's here coach effective today, but the interim coaching
appointments will remain in place until the conclusion of the
Northern tours. So is she back or not?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
She yeah, It doesn't really make sense, does it, because
it did say you're right, it said quote effective today.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
She's back in today, but she's not back coaching until.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yes, the interim coaching setup will remain in place to
the end of the Northern Tour so as to prevent
disruption to the current team. So basically we've got still
got two Constellation Cup tests, one today, one later in
the week, and after that there's I think it's like
ten twelve days before the first test in Scotland, and
(03:43):
so to prevent disruption and changing the whole leadership of
the Ferns, they'll leave Vit mccaus and jury and Lean
Eliot to in charge. The question is why can't Total
at least go along and be part of it, part
of the Northern Tour, because we've got the Commonwealth Games.
It's the middle of next year. There is there are
not many games between now and when New Zealand are
competing in the Commonwealth Games and when they play Scotland.
(04:05):
They're going to be playing the venue in which they
will play at the Commonwealth Game. It makes sense to
have her there.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Okay, And we don't know if she's going to be
on the tour at the moment, we think she's not.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, I'm going to put this to to.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
That.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Is it going to be an easy process for Noline
to return to coaching this team.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
You'd imagine that there would be a certain amount of
tension because regardless of what's been said, obviously there is
division between the Ferns. At the moment, some players were
fully in support, as we saw with Grace Weky, which
I thought was her speech after that tiny Jamison game
was the most refreshing, honest We needed that. We needed
some honesty and someone being authentic throughout this whole thing.
(04:47):
So I applaud her for that. But obviously there were
players who disagreed, and we're not on board with the
way Total was running the team. So the big question
is when Total comes back to the Helm, can she
unite this group of players, because obviously she was off
side with a few of them. Can they put all
of this behind them, because there's a lot of emotional
baggage that would have come from this. Players have been
copying crap from the public for months now, for weeks
(05:11):
as they try to figure out the public who to
hold accountable for this, So that will be a huge
challenge for TOTAL and I think I think maybe we've
seen I suppose the disruption reflected on the court in
terms of the Silver Fans sort of heavy losses, but
I would put the you know, the Constellation Cup defeats,
they had one bad quarter in each game, so I'm
(05:32):
not sure how much you can read into that, but
that is a huge challenge for total or to actually
unite this group under her leadership.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
How damaging do you think this whole saga has been
to Netbor New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Hugely, hugely damaging because not only is this sort of
a thing that New Zealanders have reacted to and gone wow,
this is you know, a national coach that has been
stood down and this whole situation's really embarrassing because this
has happened on the world stage. This is something that
Australian media has been across, that British media has been across.
(06:04):
We have had basically a meltdown in front of the
entire world and everyone is aware of it and commenting
on it and following it, along with the sort of
saga and the sort of the drip feeding of information
or lack thereof. So I think it's been hugely damaging
to the sport, especially if you know, if you're a parent,
(06:26):
and you are you have kids who are growing up
playing netball, you want them if they are really enthusiastic
about netball they say I want to play for the
Silver Ferns. As a parent, you want to know that
that's a career that potentially is going to be there.
And with the last couple of years, we've had this
broadcast deal drama, not knowing if there's going to be
an A and Z Premiership next year and that still
(06:46):
isn't really sorted because we've only got a one year
deal with TV and Z for next season. You don't
know that there's going to be a job and how
much faith do you have in the leadership given what
they've overseeen over the last few months.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
So there's a lot more going on with that New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
And just this particular, there's a lot more going on.
It's been a really, really tough couple of years for
the sport. In New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
As you mentioned, they were unavailable. They didn't want to
talk to us until ten thirty, maybe getting some ducks
in a row, maybe Nathan, before they talked to.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
You Saturday morning. They can ever sleep even fair enough.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
You mentioned you've got quite a few things you want
to ask them, But what else are you hoping to
hear from them this morning?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Well? I also want to hear I suppose apart from
the you know, getting the ducks in a row, in
terms of what actually happened, why did it take so long?
There was a line in the release about the release
the investigation and the discussions found that Toto's integrity was
not in question at all. Okay, we if that's the case,
why did it take so long to come to this resolution?
You know, it was a long time, so there must
(07:47):
have been some real sticking points that they just could
not agree on. So what were they? But also, is
anyone going to be I suppose held accountable for this
whole thing because no one's resigned, no one stood down.
Tota is coming back in all of the personnelities. They
said there'd be some personnel changes, so what are those
and is anyone from the leadership going to be accountable
for overseeing this entire thing.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
You're actually heading after Hamilton this afternoon to watch the
Silver Ferns in Australia. I think it'd be very interesting
for you to talk to the crowd and find it
get their sort of you know, the fans response to
all those But do you think that the Silver Ferns
can turn it around this afternoon against Australia.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
I actually do. I actually do. And the reason is because,
as I mentioned before, through those if you just look
at the scores of those opening Constellation Cup tests, they
got flogged. But if you watch the games, three quarters
of each game, they were sticking with the Australian So
if they can put together a complete performance, yes they
can be there or thereabouts, But it is clear that
the Australian Diamonds are sort of on another level. Maybe
(08:45):
with this news and with the crowd support, the Silver
Ferns can put out a full four quarter performance. But yeah,
I think we have the personnel to upset the Aussies.
Winning defending the Consolation Cup from here is a long ass.
They have to win both of the games and then
we go to a period of extra time sort of
do or die playoff, but I think they can do it.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Yes, like the positivity Nathan them. Thank you so much
for coming and talking us through all that. As Nathan said,
he'll be updating us on on all this and the
questions that we can't quite answer yet from Netborn New
Zealand this morning. You'll be able to find that at
new inzid Herald dot co dot inz and Elliot Smith
will also be talking to Netborne New Zealand after.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Midday For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin.
Listen live to News Talks B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks dB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Right.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
A resolution has been found in the ongoing Silver Ferns
coaching saga. Netball New Zealand has confirmed Dame Nolen Toto
has been reinstated as Silver Fern's head coach. She will
return to the role at the end of the year
and to discuss I'm joined by the New Zealand Herald
Netball reporter Nathan Limb.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Good morning morning, Francesca.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Thank you for popping in to talk to us about this.
What have you made of this? Did Netball New Zealand
basically have no choice here?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It's difficult, Hey, I think they had to bow to
public pressure. I'd actually got to the point I said
on herold Now earlier this week that I thought that
this has gone on so long. It's been six weeks
since she was stood down, ten days out from the
Tiny Jamison series. I felt like it got to the
point where if they wanted her back, she'd be back.
You know, how long does it take to move through
(00:58):
these sort of discussions and we still don't know what
the sticking points were. So I'm actually going to be
talking to Netborle New Zealand Chief executive Jenny Wiley, the
board chair Matt Winner at ten forty five this morning.
So I'm going to be putting all these questions to
them and people will be able to read about it
in the New Zealand Herald are later this afternoon. But
you're right, it's been a complete mess. If we date
(01:18):
this all the way back to the January camp where
apparently this all.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Went down, it just feels like an hr mess.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah, just to this point, because if it dates all
the way back to January, they've had what has it
been nine months since then nine ten months they've had
to sort of work through a resolution here and we
again we don't know the details. And what's that sort
of resulted in is we got to the point where
they're like, oh crap, we've got a standard down ahead
of the Tiny Jamison series. And then the public, with
(01:47):
their understandable loyalty to Tote and everything that she's achieved
in her career, one of the greatest coaches, if not
the greatest, that Silver Fans have ever had, wanted to
hold someone accountable and that came in the form of
the players. But because of the position that they were
in in terms of a contractual agreement around employment. They
are unable to release any information and so the public
(02:07):
have gone on this sort of witch hunt to identify
which players which really complained. Yeah, because no one has
any of the context necessary to make those conclusions over
who is actually at fault, and then players who haven't
been involved have ended up being dragged under the bus.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
What do we know about the agreement that has been
reached here?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
So basically, they put out a release at six pm
last night and they said that they have their discussions
over they have been able to come to an agreement
and Total has agreed to certain changes within the Silver
Ferns environment, particularly with player voice and player driven voice,
but also some personnel changes. Now there aren't any specifics
(02:46):
of what those are or what any of this actually
looks in practical terms. So again, this is something that
I'll put to the Netball New Zealand leadership this morning
and hopefully we can get some clarity around it, because,
as I said, throughout this whole process, clarity and information
has been very hard to come by.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Well, what I don't understand is they put out a
press release it's said that no only will return is
Silver Fern's here coach effective today, but the interim coaching
appointments will remain in place until the conclusion of the
Northern tours. So is she back or not?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
She yeah, It doesn't really make sense, does it, because
it did say you're right, it said quote effective today.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
She's back in today, but she's not back coaching until.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yes, the interim coaching setup will remain in place to
the end of the Northern Tour so as to prevent
disruption to the current team. So basically we've got still
got two Constellation Cup tests, one today, one later in
the week, and after that there's I think it's like
ten twelve days before the first test in Scotland, and
(03:43):
so to prevent disruption and changing the whole leadership of
the Ferns, they'll leave Vit mccaus and jury and Lean
Eliot to in charge. The question is why can't Total
at least go along and be part of it, part
of the Northern Tour, because we've got the Commonwealth Games.
It's the middle of next year. There is there are
not many games between now and when New Zealand are
competing in the Commonwealth Games and when they play Scotland.
(04:05):
They're going to be playing the venue in which they
will play at the Commonwealth Game. It makes sense to
have her there.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Okay, And we don't know if she's going to be
on the tour at the moment, we think she's not.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, I'm going to put this to to.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
That.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Is it going to be an easy process for Noline
to return to coaching this team.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
You'd imagine that there would be a certain amount of
tension because regardless of what's been said, obviously there is
division between the Ferns. At the moment, some players were
fully in support, as we saw with Grace Weky, which
I thought was her speech after that tiny Jamison game
was the most refreshing, honest We needed that. We needed
some honesty and someone being authentic throughout this whole thing.
(04:47):
So I applaud her for that. But obviously there were
players who disagreed, and we're not on board with the
way Total was running the team. So the big question
is when Total comes back to the Helm, can she
unite this group of players, because obviously she was off
side with a few of them. Can they put all
of this behind them, because there's a lot of emotional
baggage that would have come from this. Players have been
copying crap from the public for months now, for weeks
(05:11):
as they try to figure out the public who to
hold accountable for this, So that will be a huge
challenge for TOTAL and I think I think maybe we've
seen I suppose the disruption reflected on the court in
terms of the Silver Fans sort of heavy losses, but
I would put the you know, the Constellation Cup defeats,
they had one bad quarter in each game, so I'm
(05:32):
not sure how much you can read into that, but
that is a huge challenge for total or to actually
unite this group under her leadership.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
How damaging do you think this whole saga has been
to Netbor New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Hugely, hugely damaging because not only is this sort of
a thing that New Zealanders have reacted to and gone wow,
this is you know, a national coach that has been
stood down and this whole situation's really embarrassing because this
has happened on the world stage. This is something that
Australian media has been across, that British media has been across.
(06:04):
We have had basically a meltdown in front of the
entire world and everyone is aware of it and commenting
on it and following it, along with the sort of
saga and the sort of the drip feeding of information
or lack thereof. So I think it's been hugely damaging
to the sport, especially if you know, if you're a parent,
(06:26):
and you are you have kids who are growing up
playing netball, you want them if they are really enthusiastic
about netball they say I want to play for the
Silver Ferns. As a parent, you want to know that
that's a career that potentially is going to be there.
And with the last couple of years, we've had this
broadcast deal drama, not knowing if there's going to be
an A and Z Premiership next year and that still
(06:46):
isn't really sorted because we've only got a one year
deal with TV and Z for next season. You don't
know that there's going to be a job and how
much faith do you have in the leadership given what
they've overseeen over the last few months.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
So there's a lot more going on with that New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
And just this particular, there's a lot more going on.
It's been a really, really tough couple of years for
the sport. In New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
As you mentioned, they were unavailable. They didn't want to
talk to us until ten thirty, maybe getting some ducks
in a row, maybe Nathan, before they talked to.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
You Saturday morning. They can ever sleep even fair enough.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
You mentioned you've got quite a few things you want
to ask them, But what else are you hoping to
hear from them this morning?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Well? I also want to hear I suppose apart from
the you know, getting the ducks in a row, in
terms of what actually happened, why did it take so long?
There was a line in the release about the release
the investigation and the discussions found that Toto's integrity was
not in question at all. Okay, we if that's the case,
why did it take so long to come to this resolution?
You know, it was a long time, so there must
(07:47):
have been some real sticking points that they just could
not agree on. So what were they? But also, is
anyone going to be I suppose held accountable for this
whole thing because no one's resigned, no one stood down.
Tota is coming back in all of the personnelities. They
said there'd be some personnel changes, so what are those
and is anyone from the leadership going to be accountable
for overseeing this entire thing.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
You're actually heading after Hamilton this afternoon to watch the
Silver Ferns in Australia. I think it'd be very interesting
for you to talk to the crowd and find it
get their sort of you know, the fans response to
all those But do you think that the Silver Ferns
can turn it around this afternoon against Australia.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
I actually do. I actually do. And the reason is because,
as I mentioned before, through those if you just look
at the scores of those opening Constellation Cup tests, they
got flogged. But if you watch the games, three quarters
of each game, they were sticking with the Australian So
if they can put together a complete performance, yes they
can be there or thereabouts, But it is clear that
the Australian Diamonds are sort of on another level. Maybe
(08:45):
with this news and with the crowd support, the Silver
Ferns can put out a full four quarter performance. But yeah,
I think we have the personnel to upset the Aussies.
Winning defending the Consolation Cup from here is a long ass.
They have to win both of the games and then
we go to a period of extra time sort of
do or die playoff, but I think they can do it.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Yes, like the positivity Nathan them. Thank you so much
for coming and talking us through all that. As Nathan said,
he'll be updating us on on all this and the
questions that we can't quite answer yet from Netborn New
Zealand this morning. You'll be able to find that at
new inzid Herald dot co dot inz and Elliot Smith
will also be talking to Netborne New Zealand after.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Midday For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin.
Listen live to News Talks B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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