Dame Noeline Taurua will lead the Silver Ferns through to the 2027 Netball World Cup, with Netball New Zealand backing the championship-winning coach to continue the team’s resurgence.
Taurua has been reappointed alongside assistant coach Deb Fuller, with their two-year appointments taking the national side through to the World Cup in Sydney. Netball New Zealand says the appointments followed a comprehensive recruitment process.
The decision provides continuity for the Silver Ferns after an impressive return to the top of international netball, including their gold-medal performance at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
New Zealand defeated Jamaica 56-48 in the final, securing its first Commonwealth Games netball gold since 2010 and its third overall. The Silver Ferns went through the tournament unbeaten.
Taurua has already built one of the strongest coaching records in New Zealand netball, famously guiding the Silver Ferns to the 2019 Netball World Cup title, ending a 16-year wait for the world crown.
Her latest tenure has also followed a turbulent period for the national programme, with Taurua returning to the coaching role after being reinstated by Netball New Zealand in late 2025.
Attention will now turn to building the squad capable of defending New Zealand’s place among world netball’s elite when the 2027 World Cup arrives in Sydney.
After Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow, Taurua now has another major prize firmly in her sights — bringing the World Cup trophy back across the Tasman.
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