November 6, 2025 • 3 mins
Heather du Plessis-Allan reveals the details of the report into Dame Noeline Taurua.
The report includes the complaints from Silver Ferns players which lead to her being stood down in September.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
On Dame Knowles. I have finally managed to read the
Stronic Report, and I'm going to read you parts of
the Stronic Report. Now. Remember this is the report that
kicks everything off. Read Dame Nols, right. This is the
report that talks to the players. This guy's brought in,
he talks to the players. He outlines the problems in
general terms. It's presented to Dame Knowles for her to participate,
and then the whole thing just turns into a mess
and she stood down. So here you go. Problem number
(00:23):
one from the players fear and psychological safety. A strong
theme was a sense of fear within the environment. Players
talked about being scared to speak up, scared to make mistakes,
scared to ask questions, and scared to be themselves. The
fear was not described as one off or occasional. It
has been around for a long time. Some shared that
they don't feel like they can give honest feedback because
(00:45):
it won't be received well or because it will come
back on them later. I need to tell you, by
the way, this is the first time that anybody has
got their hands on this report and read it, right,
So you're hearing it for the first time, right, now.
The source of fear seems to come from a few things.
In consistent reactions from lead, unclear expectations, in a history
of seeing others shut down or left out after speaking up,
(01:05):
some players describe feeling like they were always walking on eggshells.
Is She number three? As she number two is mixed
messages and contradictions. I'm just gonna leave out the boring
stuff you get to the juicy stuff isue number three.
The weight of not being good enough, of not feeling
good enough. Many players talked about a constant undertone of
not being good enough. Even when feedback was meant to help,
it often came across as negative or critical. This led
(01:28):
to players feeling like they were always trying to avoid
failure instead of reaching for their best. They described an
environment where the tone can be quite intense and the
feedback more about what's wrong than what's working. Some shared
that they began to second guess everything or withdraw a
bit just to stay out of the firing line. As
She number seven, inconsistency and shifting standards. Players noticed that
(01:49):
the behavior and mood of the coaching and support staff
can change noticeably depending on whether the team is winning
or not. When results are going well, the environment feels
more relaxed and positive, but when the team is not performing,
expectation and shifts suddenly in the tone becomes more intense
and critical. There was also a sense that individual players
are treated differently. Some are held accountable for small things
while others are not challenged on bigger issues. Another example
(02:12):
was the fitness standard and how some were held accountable
to it and others not. It was clear number nine
commitment to high standards. It was clear that the players
believe in the importance of high standards. Players acknowledge they
don't always meet the standards, and they want to be
held accountable when that does happen. The concern was not
about the existence of standards, but about how they are
implemented and communicated. When standards feel unclear or inconsistently applied,
(02:35):
it undermines the purpose, and the report goes on and
on in that vein. Now, this is what was put
to Dame Knowles. This is what she seems to have rejected.
You can and then of course the thing blows up
and she has stood down. You could judge yourself based
on what I've just read. Are the players being sissies
or other coaches being bullies. For more from Hither Duplessy
Allen Drive, listen live to news talks that'd be from
(02:56):
four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on i out
Radio
On Dame Knowles. I have finally managed to read the
Stronic Report, and I'm going to read you parts of
the Stronic Report. Now. Remember this is the report that
kicks everything off. Read Dame Nols, right. This is the
report that talks to the players. This guy's brought in,
he talks to the players. He outlines the problems in
general terms. It's presented to Dame Knowles for her to participate,
and then the whole thing just turns into a mess
and she stood down. So here you go. Problem number
(00:23):
one from the players fear and psychological safety. A strong
theme was a sense of fear within the environment. Players
talked about being scared to speak up, scared to make mistakes,
scared to ask questions, and scared to be themselves. The
fear was not described as one off or occasional. It
has been around for a long time. Some shared that
they don't feel like they can give honest feedback because
(00:45):
it won't be received well or because it will come
back on them later. I need to tell you, by
the way, this is the first time that anybody has
got their hands on this report and read it, right,
So you're hearing it for the first time, right, now.
The source of fear seems to come from a few things.
In consistent reactions from lead, unclear expectations, in a history
of seeing others shut down or left out after speaking up,
(01:05):
some players describe feeling like they were always walking on eggshells.
Is She number three? As she number two is mixed
messages and contradictions. I'm just gonna leave out the boring
stuff you get to the juicy stuff isue number three.
The weight of not being good enough, of not feeling
good enough. Many players talked about a constant undertone of
not being good enough. Even when feedback was meant to help,
it often came across as negative or critical. This led
(01:28):
to players feeling like they were always trying to avoid
failure instead of reaching for their best. They described an
environment where the tone can be quite intense and the
feedback more about what's wrong than what's working. Some shared
that they began to second guess everything or withdraw a
bit just to stay out of the firing line. As
She number seven, inconsistency and shifting standards. Players noticed that
(01:49):
the behavior and mood of the coaching and support staff
can change noticeably depending on whether the team is winning
or not. When results are going well, the environment feels
more relaxed and positive, but when the team is not performing,
expectation and shifts suddenly in the tone becomes more intense
and critical. There was also a sense that individual players
are treated differently. Some are held accountable for small things
while others are not challenged on bigger issues. Another example
(02:12):
was the fitness standard and how some were held accountable
to it and others not. It was clear number nine
commitment to high standards. It was clear that the players
believe in the importance of high standards. Players acknowledge they
don't always meet the standards, and they want to be
held accountable when that does happen. The concern was not
about the existence of standards, but about how they are
implemented and communicated. When standards feel unclear or inconsistently applied,
(02:35):
it undermines the purpose, and the report goes on and
on in that vein. Now, this is what was put
to Dame Knowles. This is what she seems to have rejected.
You can and then of course the thing blows up
and she has stood down. You could judge yourself based
on what I've just read. Are the players being sissies
or other coaches being bullies. For more from Hither Duplessy
Allen Drive, listen live to news talks that'd be from
(02:56):
four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on i out
Radio
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