Yvette McCausland-Durie
Photo: Photosport
Interim Silver Ferns coach Yvette McCausland-Durie walked into an unprecedented situation last Thursday when the national squad got together for a four day camp.
Netball New Zealand dropped a bombshell last Wednesday when it announced popular coach Dame Noeline Taurua and her assistant coaches were being stood down for the series against South Africa.
It said discussions with Dame Noeline and the Silver Ferns management team concerning proposed changes to the High Performance programme and environment had not been resolved.
Netball NZ board chairperson Matt Whineray said in light of that, the national body decided to appoint an interim coaching team for the series.
McCausland-Durie received a phone call earlier that day asking if she could step in and the next day was with an “emotional” Silver Ferns squad.
“We arrived on Thursday into camp and I was really unsure about what had gone on but want to be there to help … to prepare this group the best we can for this series.
“Thursday was quite emotional and there were a lot of players who were really feeling it.”
McCausland-Durie said there were plenty of tears.
“Absolutely, some confusion, some challenge … and they had that ability to do that in front of each other and then to have conversations.”
McCausland-Durie admits it was a shock to get the phone call from former Silver Ferns coach Wai Taumaunu asking her to step into the role.
Taumaunu and fellow former Silver Fern Tracey Fear were sharing the high performance role in the interim. Former long-time All Black manager Darren Shand had also been brought in to support the group.
The Silver Ferns.
Photo: www.photosport.nz
McCausland-Durie said they had spent some time during last week’s four-day camp on team harmony.
“And Darren has been an important part of that, a facilitating process working alongside the Board and the Players’ Association to ensure that this group can keep moving forward. You don’t move on because these are unprecedented times and they have a huge amount of respect for the people in this game [but] it’s about making sure we can take care of the people and continue to do that job that’s required of us.”
The former title-winning Pulse coach said she was impressed with how professional the players were.
“And how invested they are in what they want to do to make sure the mana and legacy of the Silver Fern is upheld.
“We have to ensure that we put our best foot forward, and we compete, and we commit to the task and as professionals that’s the requirement.”
RNZ understands the issues in the Silver Ferns stem back to the team’s nine-day training camp in Sydney earlier this year.
Following the tour, two players approached the NZ Netball Players’ Association on behalf of a larger group of up to seven players, who raised concerns about Taurua’s leadership and communication style.
Players alleged the environment had become “psychologically unsafe”, describing a culture in which some felt fearful of raising issues directly with the head coach.
Did McCausland-Durie sense she walked into a divided team?
“No … you’re always challenged with trust when something like this happens and you have to be open to building relationships and taking your time through that.
“By Sunday I was really impressed that people were able to go ‘we can all have our opinion and we can all think what we’re going to think’ but at the end of the day we’re here as professionals to work together.
“[It’s] part of their professionalism as players to ensure that they are able to somewhat compartmentalise where they are at and do their job.”
A 14-strong team was named on Monday for the three-test series against South Africa starting on Sunday in Auckland.
It was expected Dame Noeline would be announcing a new captain this week, with Ameliaranne Ekenasio not making herself available for the 2025 test window.
But instead a match-day captain and vice-captain would be selected from the squad throughout the series, depending on selections, illness and injury.
McCausland-Durie, who was also a former assistant Silver Ferns coach, said she thought rotating captains was the best option.
“They [Noeline Taurua and assistant coach Deb Fuller] had started a leadership process and that included the captaincy. My view is that I am here for a very short time and therefore it’s not my place to decide who the captain should be for the next campaigns.”
Karin Burger, Kelly Jackson, Kate Heffernan, and Grace Nweke made up the leadership group that could fill those captaincy roles.
“These four have been identified for their leadership qualities and a really great opportunity for them to get that exposure.”
A match-day 12 would be named 24 hours before the opening test in Auckland and for the subsequent two tests.
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