The Silver Ferns struggles have continued on Sunday, falling to a shock 55-54 loss to an understrength England in their Taini Jamison Trophy opener in Christchurch.
The rhetoric in the buildup to the test from the NZ camp had centred around the perceived disrespect shown by the English for sending an understrength squad, which features not a single player from the group which knocked New Zealand out in the semi-finals of last month's World Cup.
It made for ideal bulletin board material for the English, who played like they had a point to prove. And prove it, they certainly did - closing out a memorable win to claim a 1-0 lead in the three-test series.
Fresh from their worst-ever World Cup, the result is New Zealand's fifth straight without a win, heaping more pressure on underfire coach Dame Noeline Taurua.
In contrast, stand-in England head coach, Kiwi Liana Leota, would have taken a enormous jolt of confidence from her team's performance, which was filled with pace and accuracy at both ends of the court.
Sophie Glasgow was the stand-out for the Roses, pouring in 38 of her 41 attempts on goal, ably supported defensively by goalkeeper Halimat Adio, who captained the team in what was also her test debut.
NZ captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio rued her team's inability to hit their straps from the ooening whistle.
"We brought 100 percent energy in that last quarter and we need to bring that from the start," Ekenasio said.
"I'm not sure why that was missing because we've got a group that are like energiser bunnies. We’ve got more to give and we’ve got to bring that to the next game. We just can't put ourselves in that position but I'm glad we did get it right and now know what it feels like.
"We sold ourselves short and I can't wait to put it right in the rest of the series."
The hosts started strongly to take a two-goal lead into the second quarter, when the Roses ramped up their defensive intensity to flip the script.
Led by Adio, the English defence made life difficult in the Ferns circle, as Maia Wilson struggled to find the space and position she needed to get good looks on goal.
With goal attack Sophie Drakeford-Lewis firing at the other end, England won the second quarter by seven to take a 29-23 lead into halftime, setting the scene for an improbable upset.
The Roses kept the foot on the pedal in the all-important third quarter, although the Ferns were able to reduce their deficit to six goals heading into the final stanza.
The Ferns have stormed back into the contest in the fourth quarter to pull within one goal, but the English held their nerve to seal victory.
The series now shifts to Porirua for the second test on Wednesday, where England will have a chance to lock up clinch the Taini Jamison Trophy.
England 55 (Glasgow 38/41, Drakeford-Lewis 15/19, Neil 2/3) New Zealand 54 (Wilson 9/11, Ekenasio 39/41, Metuarau 6/7)
