That’s it from us today. Keep an eye out for a match report and please do join us again for the big one tomorrow! Hoo-roo.
Is it panic stations for the Diamonds yet?
Not according to Marinkovich, who has one win and two losses under her tenure:
“We haven’t been together for too long,” says the coach. “It’s never an excuse it’s something we are growing towards. I think you saw the first half, I thought the second half of the third quarter we came back and we got our rhythm and started letting the ball go. Certainly I thought we took a back step on the last quarter not attacking the ball as hard. New Zealand were really moving very well as a unit.”
And now Liz Watson (captain again for this match) is speaking:
“I think it was our attacking game,” Watson says. “They probably did their homework to shut us down the attack and slow down our movement. I think it’s probably the consistency. We have spoken about that we get upby five goals letting them back in and down by six. I think it’s building momentum and actually to kick off when we’ve got the lead.”
Is fitness an issue?
“I don’t think so. We have a big squad there are 18 of us. It’s probably our choice and basic things, New Zealand did a great job. They put us under pressure, they knew what we didn’t want to do that fast movement.”
We’re hearing from Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio, who is still catching her breath:
“we expected a tough battle,” she says. “It seems we continue to grow our connections regardless of what was happening. To continue to build what was happening. The pressure felt it was coming, we backed ourselves and believed in the game plan – it showed.”
"No more of that OK!"😳
— 9Netball (@9Netball) March 6, 2021
Well... you don't see that too often! The umpire has pulled up play for a bit of player discipline.👀
WATCH: @9Gem
STREAM: https://t.co/M8UiJG2LnP#9Netball #ConstellationCup #NZvAUS #ConCup2021 pic.twitter.com/OHnJbZBMfs
🤯🤯#FeelTheRivalry pic.twitter.com/SSec4XZ5MP
— Origin Diamonds (@AussieDiamonds) March 6, 2021
Well well well, doesn’t this make Sunday’s finale interesting. New Zealand lead the series 2-1. Australia must win this final Test with a healthier overall goal difference to retain the Cup. To lose it would be some disappointment for new coach Marinkovich.
New Zealand win!
Australia 49-55 New Zealand: Bassett wobbles then converts off the rebound. The whole Australian team wobbles, and the Ferns knock them right over. They win this final term 17-9 and the third Test.
Q4 01:24 Australia 48-53 New Zealand: This can described as nothing other than a Diamonds fade-out. They led by five goals at half-time and are getting walked all over here. The Ferns stretch their lead to six, Bassett brings it back to five.
Q4 02:36 Australia 47-51 New Zealand: Here comes Caitlin Bassett. She replaces Koenen and she’s on the board almost immediately. This is tight, full of heat and tension. Jane Watson takes a massive intercept for NZ. An delightful pass from Saunders finds the circle and is made the most of.
Updated
Q4 08:01 Australia 43-45 New Zealand: Bruce is throwing herself about with usual aplomb but she gets too caught up with this latest stoush with Wilson. And that is some tip from Klau! Great stuff. Wilson juggles and converts a shot.
Now Jo Weston is back on the court for the first time since leaving in the first quarter under the blood rule. Speaking of first quarters, the Silver Ferns have the lead for the first time since, well, the first quarter.
Q4 10:07 Australia 42-42 New Zealand: And it’s even after another turnover. This is a Diamonds side brimming with new depth and an NZ team run like clockwork under World Cup-winning boss Taurua. Who will blink first?
Q4 13:07 Australia 40-39 New Zealand: Right, this is it. No changes for either team. Austin has a rare miss and NZ make it count as Ekenasio capitalises on some excellent work from her defenders.
Three-quarter-time!
Australia 40-38 New Zealand: New Zealand need this last centre pass to leave them in a decent position leading into the final term. Moloney is pulled up for contact and the Silver Ferns make it count, offering the ball to Wilson who makes no mistake from a bit of a distance. She is 29/30 now. NZ won that quarter 14-11.
Q3 01:02 Australia 39-37 New Zealand: Patience makes perfect, as they say. And that is the 24th goal from 28 attempts for Koenen. The Diamonds could yet get drawn into a scrap if they are not careful. There are airs of scrappiness about. My Poi is fast, and she lays off to Wilson who scores from long range.
Q3 03:31 Australia 38-34 New Zealand: The Diamonds have scored five on the trot and the Ferns must be taking deep breaths and trying to stay calm. They had a tremendous opportunity there but now find themselves back somewhere near where they began. Taurua brings on some fresh legs in midcourt in Poi.
Q3 08:18 Australia 33-30 New Zealand: The third-quarter score is 6-1 at 30-30. Where is that “uh-oh” emoji? Price is doing some lovely attacking work and Watson and Winders are absolutely at each other. Australia are on the ascension again.
I think I've seen more bounce passes in this match than many previous Tests combined. Fascinating. #ConstellationCup
— Erin Delahunty (@della79) March 6, 2021
Q3 13:30 Australia 29-27 New Zealand: We’re back! Wilson gets the Silver Ferns on the board first to shorten the margin to four. Now the deficit is three, now two on the back of a defensive turnover. Blink and you’ll miss it.
Updated
Austin is the winning ingredient in this Diamonds side today. She’s at 12/15 after a far less accurate showing in the second Test. NZ’s circle defenders are not having a terribly enjoyable day at the office. But let’s not forget that NZ are also shooting phenomenally well. Wilson has 17/18 and Ekenasio 7/8.
Half-time!
Australia 29-24 New Zealand: Ekenasio’s miss just before – her first of the match – has hurt her side and allowed the Diamonds to extend that lead and consolidate ahead of the main break. The Ferns have five goals to pull back and will need to step it up a notch.
Q2 01:10 Australia 27-24 New Zealand: By the way, Shannon Saunders has replaced Gina Crampton at wing attack. Saunders scrambles to tip the ball back into the court and keep it in play and a penalty against Bruce saves NZ from another goal against but they just can’t close this deficit.
Updated
Q2 03:10 Australia 24-23 New Zealand: The ball ricochets off Karin Burger’s foot. Burger is forcing errors from Australia but her opponent, Austin, is also carving out space like it’s prime real estate. She is flying. Down the other end, Ekenasio makes it seven from seven with a lovely shot.
Q2 06:15 Australia 23-20 New Zealand: A She’s buggered is uttered between Ferns coach Noeline Taurua and her assistant, and there are the tiniest of signs some of her players are tiring. Interesting stat in that these sides have met 153 times and 16 of those have decided by a single goal.
Q2 10:30 Australia 17-15 New Zealand: The Silver Ferns defence is working hard to ensure Australia does not stretch this margin out. Cara Koenen is doing a little too well for their liking and the home side throw her off on a long-range attempt but are called for contact. As per, Koenen makes no mistake at the second time of asking. The balance in Australia’s shooting circle is nice viewing.
Quarter-time!
Australia 14-11 New Zealand: Australia hop into the break with a three-goal lead that should bode them well for what’s to come. The Silver Ferns clearly will not quietly in their bid to stop the Diamonds lifting the Cup for an eighth consecutive time. But Australia are moving well and shooting at 94% accuracy. Stay tuned.
Q1 01:01 Australia 12-11 New Zealand: Jo Weston is bleeding and off the court but Australia don’t panic, and Jamie-Lee Price doesn’t miss a beat to fill that wing defence position quick smart. And how about that! What a lovely pass from Price to Giants teammate Kiera Austin, who bounces and lands with perfect timing and pulls the visitors ahead.
Q1 04:37 Australia 9-8 New Zealand: There is not much to separate these traditional rivals right now. New Zealand’s midcourt positioning is superb and they are building pressure. Australia have had 12 penalties against them thus far to NZ’s nine.
Q1 07:30 Australia 5-5 New Zealand: New Zealand have moved quickly to claw back an early deficit and then nipped out ahead. They have clearly addressed that slow start from midweek, when they scored only one goal in the first seven minutes.
Q1 10:15 Australia 5-3 New Zealand: This series is on what those who enjoy creative descriptions would call a “knife-edge”. Sitting at one apiece after the Silver Ferns leapt out of the blocks on Tuesday before the Diamonds hit back on Wednesday. New Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich has stuck with an identical starting line-up in a bid to claim the advantage leading into tomorrow’s finale, and Sarah Klau and Courtney Bruce are linking up in Australia’s defensive circles as if they have been knitted into the same wooly jumper.
Updated
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the third Constellation Cup match!
