The rivalry: NZL win Comm Games gold
October 14, 2015
Silver Ferns win Commonwealth Games gold in 2006 © Photosport
In the lead-up to the New World Netball Series for the Constellation Cup, silverferns.co.nz has been re-living some of the historic on-court battles between two of Netball’s powerhouses.
Today we look back on the 2006 Commonwealth Games when the Silver Ferns won gold in front of a parochial Melbourne crowd.
Be there when Netball’s greatest rivalry returns to New Zealand soil when the Silver Ferns take on the Diamonds in the New World Netball Series for the Constellation Cup – GET TICKETS!
New Zealand prevails in Commonwealth Games Final
By Dave Leggat
The New Zealand Herald
Melbourne, Australia, March 26, 2006
It wasn’t always pretty, but it was efficient and the result was a golden flourish from the Silver Ferns to win the gold medal final at the Commonwealth Games.
Their win over the host Australian squad had a bit of everything — moments of real tension, clever work, both nifty and ragged inter-passing and frequent bouts of physicality at both ends of the court which owed more to WWF wrestling than real sport — but there’s no question the Silver Ferns were worth the win.
Why? Because when the heat went on from an Australian team, which toiled desperately but lacked polish at key moments, New Zealand responded.
They held their nerve in an almost claustrophobic wall of noise from the raucous home fans.
VOTE – SKY Sport Moment of the Year
And in an arena where calm heads and clear thinking were vital, New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken reckoned her team should reserve their biggest backslaps for experienced goal attacker Belinda Colling.
Not only did Colling pot 16 of 18 shots at goal, belying her reputation as erratic under the net, but her coolness late in the match, and ability to take the heat off towering goal shooter Irene van Dyk were vital ingredients in New Zealand’s first Commonwealth Games’ title.
“She does a lot of work that goes unnoticed,” Aitken said of Colling. Certainly Irene is our finish girl and did well, but Belinda is a very crafty player, and you can’t teach that overnight.”
Van Dyk succeeded with 44 of 49 attempts. It was not her finest hour, but consider that Australia put up one more shot at goal, and her work becomes critical. Australian goal shooter, Whangarei-born Catherine Cox, managed to connect on 31 of 38 shots, and captain and goal attack Sharelle McMahon scored on 22 of 28 shots.
VOTE – Woman’s Day People’s Choice
Netballers are fond of saying no player is more important than any other. But for the Ferns, after Colling, the player who makes New Zealand successful is van Dyk, because the bottom line in winning is that the ball has to get through the hoop more often on your end than it does at the other end. And no one does it better than van Dyk, who is the game’s most celebrated player.
Van Dyk had to cope with a bolshie defender in Bianca Chatfield. They had a rare old battle, at one point wrestling for the ball a couple seconds after the whistle had blown and play had stopped.
But van Dyk won’t bag Australia’s rough-house tactics. She’s used to it and quietly she probably knows that Vilimaina Davu’s ruggedly effective defensive work 30m away is often more bar room than balletic.
“I won’t put the Aussies down,” van Dyk said. “They’re a team that can come out firing at any stage. They’re really gutsy.”
So they were, as they clung on to prevent New Zealand easing clear.
Undoubtedly, this was a far different Australian team from the one that sunk to a record defeat in Auckland last year.
The midcourt clash was critical. Where Laura Langman, Temepara George and captain Adine Wilson were generally slick and thoughtful with their passing, Australia struggled.
There was an element of “throw and hope” as the Australians pushed the envelope in a bid to bridge the gap on the scoreboard, which existed from the end of the first quarter.
New Zealand were ahead, 36-29, at halftime. Australia had their best quarter in the third as they managed to trim the margin to five goals, 46-41, but apart from a brief heart flutter for Aitken as the gap closed to 57-54 with 1 minute 50 seconds left to play, the Silver Ferns — provided they didn’t have a brain explosion — always had the whip hand.
“You had to be brave to win a game like this,” Aitken said. “It was heaven and hell wrapped up in one.”
Too right. A job well done
Today we look back on the 2006 Commonwealth Games when the Silver Ferns won gold in front of a parochial Melbourne crowd.
Be there when Netball’s greatest rivalry returns to New Zealand soil when the Silver Ferns take on the Diamonds in the New World Netball Series for the Constellation Cup – GET TICKETS!
New Zealand prevails in Commonwealth Games Final
By Dave Leggat
The New Zealand Herald
Melbourne, Australia, March 26, 2006
It wasn’t always pretty, but it was efficient and the result was a golden flourish from the Silver Ferns to win the gold medal final at the Commonwealth Games.
Their win over the host Australian squad had a bit of everything — moments of real tension, clever work, both nifty and ragged inter-passing and frequent bouts of physicality at both ends of the court which owed more to WWF wrestling than real sport — but there’s no question the Silver Ferns were worth the win.
Why? Because when the heat went on from an Australian team, which toiled desperately but lacked polish at key moments, New Zealand responded.
They held their nerve in an almost claustrophobic wall of noise from the raucous home fans.
VOTE – SKY Sport Moment of the Year
And in an arena where calm heads and clear thinking were vital, New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken reckoned her team should reserve their biggest backslaps for experienced goal attacker Belinda Colling.
Not only did Colling pot 16 of 18 shots at goal, belying her reputation as erratic under the net, but her coolness late in the match, and ability to take the heat off towering goal shooter Irene van Dyk were vital ingredients in New Zealand’s first Commonwealth Games’ title.
“She does a lot of work that goes unnoticed,” Aitken said of Colling. Certainly Irene is our finish girl and did well, but Belinda is a very crafty player, and you can’t teach that overnight.”
Van Dyk succeeded with 44 of 49 attempts. It was not her finest hour, but consider that Australia put up one more shot at goal, and her work becomes critical. Australian goal shooter, Whangarei-born Catherine Cox, managed to connect on 31 of 38 shots, and captain and goal attack Sharelle McMahon scored on 22 of 28 shots.
VOTE – Woman’s Day People’s Choice
Netballers are fond of saying no player is more important than any other. But for the Ferns, after Colling, the player who makes New Zealand successful is van Dyk, because the bottom line in winning is that the ball has to get through the hoop more often on your end than it does at the other end. And no one does it better than van Dyk, who is the game’s most celebrated player.
Van Dyk had to cope with a bolshie defender in Bianca Chatfield. They had a rare old battle, at one point wrestling for the ball a couple seconds after the whistle had blown and play had stopped.
But van Dyk won’t bag Australia’s rough-house tactics. She’s used to it and quietly she probably knows that Vilimaina Davu’s ruggedly effective defensive work 30m away is often more bar room than balletic.
“I won’t put the Aussies down,” van Dyk said. “They’re a team that can come out firing at any stage. They’re really gutsy.”
So they were, as they clung on to prevent New Zealand easing clear.
Undoubtedly, this was a far different Australian team from the one that sunk to a record defeat in Auckland last year.
The midcourt clash was critical. Where Laura Langman, Temepara George and captain Adine Wilson were generally slick and thoughtful with their passing, Australia struggled.
There was an element of “throw and hope” as the Australians pushed the envelope in a bid to bridge the gap on the scoreboard, which existed from the end of the first quarter.
New Zealand were ahead, 36-29, at halftime. Australia had their best quarter in the third as they managed to trim the margin to five goals, 46-41, but apart from a brief heart flutter for Aitken as the gap closed to 57-54 with 1 minute 50 seconds left to play, the Silver Ferns — provided they didn’t have a brain explosion — always had the whip hand.
“You had to be brave to win a game like this,” Aitken said. “It was heaven and hell wrapped up in one.”
Too right. A job well done