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NZ 48 England 42
Fourth quarter
Solid opening effort from the Ferns on limited preparation, with Metuarau playing the full 45 minutes on debut and Wilson also going the duration.
15th minute - Eventually, Saunders finds Wilson under goal and she converts, NZ 46-42
Another key intercept from Burger and Wilson capitalises, NZ 47-42
Metuarau scores again, but Fisher's last-gasp heave can't beat the final whistle, NZ 48-42
13th minute - Saunders called for held ball on the edge of the circle and England inch back, NZ 45-41
Ferns need to score here and are patient in midcourt, looking for an opening.
11th minute - Metuarau restores a two-goal lead and Burger creates a key turnover... now they need to take toll, NZ 42-40
Mentor almost has an intercept, but is called for contact and Wilson goals, NZ 43-40
Guthrie back on for Clark at centre for England, but Wilson extends the lead to four and Metuarau steals, NZ 45-40
Ninth minute - Metuarau goals for a two-goal lead, Saunders enters the game at wing attack for Crampton, NZ 41-39
Seventh minute - Eventually Wilson goals, followed by Metuarau, NZ 40-38
Kersten replays the ball and present England a chance to close again, Cardwell misses, NZ 40-39
Fifth minute - Held ball by NZ on attack and England have a chance to draw level. Fisher scores, 38-38
Fizpatrick halts an England attack, but the NZ midcourt can't find a way through.
Third minute - Fisher goals to close within three and then the defence force a Ferns turnover, NZ 37-34
England are now just one behind, after another NZ error, so this possession is crucial for the Ferns... a mispass from Metuarau to Wilson, but England can't capitalise, NZ 38-36
First minute - Burger comes back on for Jury at goal defence and Ferns immediately force a turnover. Wilson can't convert.
Third quarter
England actually won that quarter 12-11 and have come back well from an eight-goal deficit in the second quarter. Fisher has given them a nice boost at goal shoot, with 14/15 since she came on near the end of that second period.
Taurua must be looking to her bench now, with four of her starters still on court.
15th minute - Defensive tip from Fitzpatrick, but the NZ attack is wayward and England come back. Fisher goals, NZ 36-33
Another turnover presents another chance for England, but Cardwell is whistled for contact on her marker. After the halftime whistle, Metuarau converts, NZ 37-33
13th minute - Wilson misses, but nice rebound from Metuarua to score, NZ 35-31
Clarke for Guthrie at centre for England.
11th minute - Wilson is open on the far side of the goal and converts, but England have a great opportunity to close up again, NZ 34-30
Winders tips a feed from Malcolm and NZ defence come away with the ball.
Ninth minute - Winders comes back on for Maddy Gordon at wing defence.
Fisher brings England back within three, NZ 33-30
Seventh minute - NZ defence create another error and Wilson stretches the lead at the other end, NZ 31-26
England score two quick goals and bridge the gap and Wilson again stops momentum, NZ 32-28
Fifth minute - Metuarau's miss allows England to draw within three goals, but Wilson stops the rot, NZ 28-24
Crampton finds Wilson under goal and she converts, NZ 30-26
Third minute - England defender smothering NZ shooters early and a give and go from Metuarau cannot bring a goal, her first miss, NZ 27-22
First minute - Claire Kersten had replaced Winders at centre for NZ, while Fitzpatrick comes into goalkeep for Burger, Jury moving to GD. Allison inserted ag wing defence for England.
Second quarter
Better quarter from the Ferns and particularly Wilson under goal, slotting 7/8, while rookie Metuarau still has not missed (9/9) on debut.
Kelly Jury has been formidable on defence, forcing England into many of their 15 turnovers.
What changes will Dame Noeline make at the break?
15th minute - Wilson stretches the lead to eight with a much-improved second quarter, NZ 26-18
But Guthrie intercepts the centre pass from Winders and England can close up on halftime. Another loose passe from Burger gifts Malcom an intercept and Fisher goals at the break, NZ 26-21
13th minute - Fisher hits her first shot and England draw a contact on Gordon to secure that much-needed turnover, NZ 24-17
Jury is terrorising the England attack and forces another loose pass.
11th minute - Cardwell pulls back a goal for England, but they need a couple of breaks to close the gap. Fisher comes on for England on attack, replacing Drakeford-Lewis, NZ 23-16
Ninth minute - NZ open up a six goal adantage, but Drakeford-Lewis pulls one back, NZ 20-15
NZ defenders frustrate England into anthor error and Wilson is on target again, NZ 22-15
Seventh minute - NZ working hard to feed the circle, but Metuarau hits from long range again, NZ 18-14
She makes an intercept on defence as well and Wilson stretches the lead to five goals, NZ 19-14
Fifth minute - Jury forces another turnover on defence, Wilson goes 5/5 in this quarter, NZ 17-13
Third minute - Another England pass goes astray on attack and NZ have a prime opportunity here to take control of the scoreboard, Wilson obliges, NZ 16-13
First minute - NZ have first use of the ball and stretch their lead through Wilson, NZ 13-11
Long pass finds Cardwell underneath for an England goal, but Wilson has gone 3/3 early in the second quarter, NZ 15-13
First quarter
England defender Gusgoth has three intercepts in the opening quarter, as the English have made life difficult for the NZ circle feeders, just struggling for combination with their shooters.
Still NZ lead and Metuarau (7/7 shooting) has been superb on debut.
15th minute - Metuarau twice brings NZ level again, as the opening quarter winds down.
England pass goes astray at the attack end and Ferns have a chance to lead, Metuarau is on target, NZ 12-11
13th minute - England can now retake the lead and Cardwell obliges, ENG 9-8
11th minute - Wilson is hesitant under goal, NZ have the advantage, but England defence force another turnover.
Ninth minute - England defence are stifling the NZ attackers and create another turnover to draw level, 6-6
Jury tips a pass on defence, but Wilson can't convert at the other end. Eventually, Metuarau hits a long shot for the lead, NZ 7-6
Seventh minute - Wilson is called for fending off Mentor under the goal, so England can snatch momentum back here, but they don't take advantage, NZ 6-4
NZ create another turnover, but Winders is called for held-ball on the attack circle.
Fifth minute - NZ force a held ball and have a chance to create a two-goal buffer again, NZ 5-3
Crampton is warned for breaking repeatedly on the centre-pass.
Third minute - Wilson misses her second attempt, allowing England to regain parity. Burger close to in intercept, but the ball rebounds off the post and off her, out of bounds, England 3-2
First minute - England captain Guthrie passes off to start the game... Ferns force a turnover immediately and Metuarau scores with her first touch on debut, NZ 1-0
7:30pm - Perhaps the most beautiful version of the NZ national anthem has to be the sign language... captivating.
7pm - Dame Noeline Taurua has named her starting line-up for tonight's clash...
GK Maia Wilson, GA Tiana Metuarau, WA Gina Crampton,C Samantha Winders, WD Maddy Gordon, GD Karin Burger, GK Kelly Jury
So Metuarau - daughter of former NZ captain and coach Wai Taumaunu - will make her Silver Ferns debut, after a tremendous ANZ Premiership season, while Maddy Gordon wins a start early in her international career. Crampton will captain the Ferns for the first time, while new vice-captain Sulu Fitzpatrick will come off the bench.
England will start the following line-up...
GS Eleanor Cardwell, GA Sophie Drakeford-Lewis, WA Laura Malcolm, C Serena Guthrie, WD Beth Cobden, GD Layla Guscoth, GK Geva Mentor
England have 268 more test caps than New Zealand, primarily through Guthrie, Mentor and Jade Clarke. Their squad also include shooter George Fisher, who played alongside Metuarau at Southern Steel.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the first netball test between New Zealand and England at Christchurch.
Incredible that we're even contemplating this three-match series, given the shortage of MIQ spots for anyone travelling to New Zealand and the country divided under COVID-19 alert levels.
With Christchurch under Alert Level 2, a very limited number of spectators will be allowed to attend this encounter. New Silver Ferns captain Gina Crampton and vice captain Sulu Fitzpatrick needed special Government exemption to leave Auckland under Level 4 and take the court tonight.
Two other Auckland-based players - rookie Grace Nweke and midcourt Peta Toeava - will sit out the opening game, as they acclimatise to their surroundings.
The Ferns shooting circle already has a green look about it, with incumbent captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio pregnant and unavailable for selection, and newcomers Jamie Hume and Tiana Metuarau eyeing international debuts.
The English have kept a pretty low profile since arriving in New Zealand and they shape as a different proposition to the inexperienced line-up that was swept under similar circumstances last year.
With the postponement of next month's Constellation Cup series against Australia, the Roses are the only international competition confirmed for the Silver Ferns before next year's Commonwealth Games, where England will try to defend their crown on home soil at Birmingham.
The NZ roster for the series opener is:
Shooters - Jamie Hume, Tiana Metuarau, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Maia Wilson
Midcourters - Gina Crampton (c), Maddy Gordon, Claire Kersten, Shannon Saunders, Samantha Winders
Defenders - Karin Burger, Sulu Fitzpatrick (vc), Kelly Jury
TAB Odds: NZ $1.30, England $3.20
Silver Ferns star shooter Wilson shrugs off form slump to face England Roses
Silver Ferns shooter Maia Wilson will try to put a rollercoaster season behind her, as she prepares to face England Roses in a three-match series at Christchurch next week.
With the retirement of Maria Folau and pregnancy absence of captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Wilson, 23, looms as the senior pro in the NZ attacking circle against the reigning Commonwealth Games champions, but must put a trying couple of months behind her to fulfill that role.
As her Northern Stars burst out of the starting blocks for this year's ANZ Premiership, she was in fine form, but that hot streak fell away badly mid-season, as her team slumped out of playoff contention.
On social media, Wilson admitted she had struggled with mental health, specifically body-image issues that - at their worst - saw her weighing in six times a day. That admission seemed to trigger her form slump, but back in the Ferns camp, she insists the recent COVID-19 lockdown has given her a chance to recharge.
"I feel relieved," she says. "The forced lockdown was nice to be with family and have some time apart.
"I'm a person who enjoys my own company, so it was quite nice to get outside and train, and not have to worry about anything else, but I'm really itching to get back into it.
"I'm a slow starter, but I know I'm going to get there and not trying to put any expectations or standards on myself, just knowing however I turn up, it's the best I can be in that moment. If I miss a shot, I miss a shot, but it's what I do next."
Although she's based in Auckland, Wilson was in Wellington, when the latest lockdown was introduced, which meant she wasn't trapped at Alert Level 4 like some of her teammates.
"My bubble was the size of five, so I had many passers - unsure of the quality of those passers, but really nice to have family to keep me motivated.
"Having that support at home was everything I needed. I was lucky to have a post outside, but windy Welly wasn't that great to shoot in and I'm very grateful to shoot indoors."
Wilson is wary of the challenge presented by England, as the reigning world champions try to capitalise on the only international fixtures on their schedule, after the postponement of next month's Constellation Cup series against Australia.
"They hit us really hard last year and even though we won that series, you can't take them lightly and they have bolstered their side with a few more experienced players.
"During lockdown, we were having meetings and analysis, so we need to be quite sussed on what they're doing, but also focusing on us."
