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NZ 54 South Africa 43
NZ - Nweke 30/32, Metuarau 15/16, Wilson 9/13
South Africa - Venter 31/36, Rademan 7/10, Burger 5/5
Fulltime
15th minute - Metuarau goals from long range and Ferns will want a turnover to finish on a high note, after letting the final quarter slip away.
Wilson misses from underneath and Karaka narrowly misses an intercept on the buzzer, allowing South Africa one last goal before the end.
13th minute - Karaka has played the entire game and blocks a shot from Rademan, but she retrieves the ball and scores. Ferns turn over the centrepass again and Proteas get another goal back, NZ 53-40
11th minute - Wilson brings the 50 up for New Zealand. Metuarau slots from mid-range, NZ 52-37
Ninth minute - Wilson called for contact again and South Africa are winning this final quarter. Ferns throw away the centrepass.
Great defence from the Proteas, but Metuarau steadies the ship, NZ 49-35
Seventh minute - Great lean from Fitzpatrick forces a miss from Venter, but Rademan rebounds to score, NZ 48-34
Fifth minute - Goal for goal for the minute, but a loose pass in the Proteas circle gives the Ferns possession. Wilson is caught pushing off under goal, so a wasted opportunity, NZ 46-31
Third minute - Saunders is called for held ball, so not a great start to the quarter. Consecutive goals from South Africa reduced the margin to 14, but Metuarau grabs one back, NZ 44-30
First minute - More changes in the Ferns. Winders at wing defence, Saunders at wing attack, Wilson at goal shoot.
Some loose work at the end of that third quarter saw a potential 20-goal margin cut to 15, so Taurua will want her team to be more accurate over the final 15 minutes.
Third quarter
15th minute - Rademan scores for the Proteas, who have centrepass and a chance to reduce the deficit. Venter scores and Crampton breaks at the centrepass to gift momentum back to South Africa, NZ 43-27
13th minute - NZ defenders do a great job of frustrating the South African feed and eventually force the turnover. Proteas respond by bringing Rademan back on, more mobility in the cricle.
Big defensive play downcourt by Metuarau, who has been excellent since coming on, NZ 43-24
11th minute - Metuarau called for contact in the attack circle, but Proteas immediately give the ball back, Nweke scores, NZ 40-24
Ninth minute - Proteas haven't scored for a while and turn the ball over again. Metuarau and Nweke are also excelling in the shooting cricle, so Dame Noeline will be pleased, NZ 39-23
Seventh minute - And another turnover from the defence, but Fitzpatrick throws it away. They get it back immediately - scrappy play allround, but Nweke scores, NZ 36-23
Fifth minute - Mistake from Metuarau gives South Africa a chance to eat further into the lead, but they squander it. Nweke scores.
Another turnover from the NZ defence gives their shooters a chance to stretch further ahead, NZ 34-23
Third minute - Reuelu-Buchanan makes her debut for the Ferns at centre, but they turn the centrepass over and the Proteas can make some inroads here.
Nweke breaks the three-goal burst from South Africa to restore double-figure advantage, NZ 32-23
First minute - Proteas have first centrepass of the half, but Fitzpatrick breaks up the feed...
Halftime
15th minute - Nweke a huge target, but she misses her first shot of the match with halftime in sight. Metuarau on target as the siren sounds, NZ 31-19
13th minute - Nice interpassing between Meturau and Saunders gives Nweke another opportunity - she's 20/20 now, make that 21/21.
Long goal from Venter, NZ 28-17
11th minute - Loose pass from Saunders, but Nweke storms out of the circle to reclaim possession.
Ferns are offside at centrepass - that hurts, NZ 25-14
Ninth minute - Mishandle by the Proteas attack gives the Ferns another turnover. Metuarau capitalises at the other end.
The margin reaches double figures, NZ 23-13
Seventh minute - Venter misses again and Ferns races upcourt for Nweke to convert. She's still faultless, but she loses her circle partner, as Metuarau replaces Wilson.
Metuarau immeidately settles the nerves with a goal and then finds Nweke will an aerial feed, NZ 20-13
Fifth minute - Sloppy possession from both sides, struggling to get the ball into the respective shooting circles. Nweke finally scores, NZ 17-11
Third minute - Venter misses and Fitzpatrick gathers the rebound, but Wilson is called for held ball at the other end, NZ 16-10
First minute - Proteas with first centrepass of the quarter and Venter's shot gets the shooter's roll, NZ 15-10
Burger and Venter are perfect in the Proteas shooting circle, but have struggled for possession. Nweke is 11/11 down the other end and looks assured, away from the pressure of Australia and England.
First quarter
15th minute - Loose pass from Msomi gives the Ferns a chance to edge away as the quarter ends. Wilson goals, then Nweke.
Nweke scores again, as the siren sounds, NZ 15-9
13th minute - Wilson scrambling to gather a long pass and turns it over. South Africa putting on a run, but Wilson feeds Nweke, who steadies the wobbles, NZ 12-8
11th minute - Nice feed from Crampton, over the defence to Nweke, whose height will be a key weapon.
Moweni almost intercepts for South Africa and they disrupt the feed to the NZ shooters, NZ 11-4
NInth minute - Rademan is immediately subbed off and replaced by Burger's greater height in the shooting circle. NZ force another turnover and they are cantering away now, NZ 9-3
Seventh minute - Nweke puts NZ ahead and with centrepass, repeats the does to open a clear lead.
Jury blocks a shot from Rademan and the Ferns have a chance to stretch their advantage... Nweke obliges, NZ 6-3
Fifth minute - Ferns struggling to get the ball under goal and the Proteas hanging tough early, with Venter slotting a couple of goals to tie it up, 2-2
Third minute - Nweke slots the first goal for NZ, a settler for her, NZ 2-0
First minute - Msomi has first centrepass for South Africa, but Karaka has a turnover in defence for NZ.
6:26am - Remember, South Africa have only ever beaten New Zealand once - in the 1995 world championship semi-finals, famously led by future Ferns great Irene Van Dyk. They're hungry for seconds.
6:04am - Starting line-ups are posted and Dame Noeline Taurua has made some big changes in her starting seven, with young shooter Grace Nweke thrust into the cauldron early and Phoenix Karak into the defensive circle.
NZ: GS-Grace Nweke, GA-Maia Wilson, WA-Gina Crampton, C-Shannon Saunders, WD-Karin Burger, GD-Phoenix Karak, GK-Sulu Fitzpatrick
South Africa: GS-Ine-Mari Venter, GA-Lefébre Rademan, WA-Izette Griesel, C-Bongiwe Msomi, WD-Monique Reyneke, GD-Zanele Vimbela, GK-Phumza Maweni
*****
Kia ora, good morning and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Quad Series clash between New Zealand and South Africa at London's Copper Box Arena.
After two losses from their opening two games at this tournament, the world champion Silver Ferns are now desperate to put some of those lessons to practise against opponents they have traditionally dominated.
The NZ women were outclassed by Australia in their opener and let an eight-goal advantage slip through their fingers against hosts England, so their chances of contesting the final are well gone.
The Proteas have also lost both their outings against the Roses and the Diamonds, but will be encouraged that they were within four goals of the Aussies at halftime, before the wheels fell off their performance.
Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua has put on a brave face over her young team's inability to handle international pressure, preferring to use this series as part of an extended build-up towards this year's Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Without several of her veterans - defenders Katrina Rora and Jane Watson, and shooter Ameliaranne Ekenasion are all on maternity leave - Taurua has had to expose international rookies and others who have not played at this level for several years.
South African present an opportunity for the newbies to express themselves with a little less intensity - but a win is essential. Defeat would conjure up memories of the Ferns' last Commonwealth Games campaign, when they finished out of the medals for the first time, while suffering a maiden defeat to Malawi.
TAB Odds: NZ $1.05, South Africa $8
New Zealand: Gina Crampton, Karin Burger, Sulu Fitzpatrick, Jayla Johnson, Kelly Jury, Phoenix Karaka, Claire Kersten, Tiana Metuarau, Grace Nweke, Mile Reuelu-Buchanan, Shannon Saunders, Fild Vui, Maia Wilson, Samantha Winders
South Africa: Khanyisa Chawane, Jessica du Plessis, Izette Griesel, Phumza Maweni, Tshina Mdau, Bongiwe Msomi, Lefébre Rademan, Monique Reyneke, Nicola Smith, Elmere van der Berg, Ine-Mari Venter, Zanele Vimbela
Quad Series defeats won't harm Ferns' Comm Games chances - Taurua
Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua isn't concerned that consecutive Northern Quad Series losses have hurt her side's prospects at this year's Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
After opening the London tournament with a 53-39 loss to Australia, the NZ women were more impressive against hosts England, despite their 49-46 defeat.
But with a squad missing several key players and with youngsters still making their way as New Zealand internationals, Dame Noeline prefers to see the silver lining in the result, as the team build towards Birmingham.
With the nature of the defeats building experience among the Ferns' next generation, the World Cup-winning coach seems happy to accept the trade-off.
"I'm actually happier today than I was yesterday," says Dame Noeline. "I think it's promising, there's a lot of potential in this current group and also individuals.
"I feel as long as we keep chipping away and being better than what we did, there's a lot to work on.
"I think also, out of today, I was able to consolidate a few combinations and positions, and that's really helpful moving forward, as we do the next planning with ANZ [Premiership]."
The Silver Ferns will be out to avoid a repeat of their last Commonwealth Games showing at Gold Coast, where they failed to medal for the first time - New Zealand's worst performance in the history of the competition.
Monday's defeat leaves the Silver Ferns third on the Quad Series ladder, ahead of only South Africa, courtesy of goal difference.
With Australia and England winning both their opening two matches, Wednesday's encounters will be dress rehearsals for the Quad Series' final and third-placed playoff - both scheduled for Thursday morning (NZ time).
Although the Proteas currently prop up the table, Dame Noeline knows her young side will have their work cut out, if they're to avoid finishing last, but is banking on the improvement from Australia to England and is confident of another lift.
"I feel that what we did today is way better than yesterday," she adds. "There's some hope in the group in what we're currently doing.
"I think we need to be able to improve and coming out of today, we know exactly what that is, as a group, as we debrief.
"They've given England and also Australia a run, especially in the first half, so we've got to have that pressure and we know that they'll be able to do that to us.
"It's once again taking that and improving from what we did today."
