The Silver Ferns have consigned the Australian Diamonds to their 11th straight loss on New Zealand soil, with a 56-50 win over their rivals in the opening Constellation Cup test in Auckland.
But the Diamonds will take a lot out of their final quarter, which they won 17-11.
It is nearly three months since the Silver Ferns won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and they looked determined to underline that the triumph was no one-off.
Australia came away with a bronze medal, their worst ever finish at a pinnacle event after Jamaica shocked them in the semi-finals.
Both sides came into this series with plenty to prove having not met each other at the pinnacle event.
There were no real surprises in the Silver Ferns starting line-up, with coach Dame Noeline Taurua leaving Martina Salmon and Peta Toeava out of the game day 12.
The spicy on-court rivalry between Silver Ferns shooter Grace Nweke and Diamonds defender Courtney Bruce, picked up where it left off when the sides last met a year ago.
Bruce brought up her 100th test to become just the seventh Diamonds centurion.
Kimiora Poi, who started at wing attack, got a couple of early tips to set the defensive tone, which was probably the difference in the first quarter, won 15-10 by the home side.
Kelly Jackson and Karin Burger also got in the mix by smothering the Diamonds shooters to force an early held ball.
Nweke, who was the highest goal scorer at the Commonwealth Games, saved a few balls that looked certain to be heading out of court.
But while the Silver Ferns took the direct route when they could into Nweke, they showed patience on attack when they needed to throughout the game.
Grace Nweke (centre) had another dominant game for the Silver Ferns.
Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Australian Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich made changes as the Silver Ferns started dominating but they didn’t seem to have the desired effect.
Taurua didn’t make her first changes until the second half when Mila Reuelu-Buchanan came on at wing defence, which pushed Kate Heffernan up to centre, and Maddy Gordon to wing attack.
Shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit also made her long-awaited return to the black dress, off the back of her first season in the Australian netball league, when she came on after half time.
The last time the 34-year-old, who is now the oldest member of the team, played for the Silver Ferns was at the 2023 World Cup.
When New Zealand took a 19-11 lead early in the second quarter Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich brought debutant Jessie Grenvold on at goal keeper, while Bruce shifted to goal defence.
Kelly Jackson got the crowd roaring when she twice managed to tip the ball and catch it – first off a Kiera Austin attempt at goal, then Sophie Dwyer.
Poi was brilliant at wing attack, and managed to see of Diamonds lynch-pin Jamie-Lee Price in the middle of the second quarter.
The Silver Ferns continued to put their foot down, and went into the main break with a 32-22 lead.
The biggest lead of the game came during the third quarter when the Silver Ferns pushed the margin out to 15.
The Silver Ferns led 45-33 going into the final turn as Jackson and Burger continued to have moments of brilliance.
Amelia Walmsley came on at goal attack partway through the final quarter, while Carys Stythe also got a cameo in the last few minutes.
The more tried and true Australian shooting combination of Sophie Garbin and Keira Austin found some fluidity on attack and helped the visitors cut into the lead but it was too late to threaten the result.
Nweke finished with 40 from 41.
All 12 players got on court for the Diamonds, while Parris Mason was the only Fern not to get any minutes.
The second Test is in Christchurch on Wednesday, before the series heads to Australia for the final two games.
The Diamonds are current holders of the Constellation Cup after pipping the Silver Ferns in series-decider time last year.
The tie-breaker format has been scrapped and instead goal percentage will be used to determine the winner if the series ends two games apiece, meaning winning margins may be all-important.
New Zealand also has a chance of overtaking the Diamonds at the top of the world rankings for the first time in several years if they can win at least three out of four Tests.
2026 Constellation Cup
Game 2: Silver Ferns v Diamonds, Wednesday, 21 October – 7:40PM, Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch
Game 3: Diamonds v Silver Ferns, Sunday, 25 October – 6PM, Afterpay Arena, Sydney
Game 4: Diamonds v Silver Ferns, Wednesday, 28 October – 9:40PM, John Cain Arena, Melbourne