¾ÅÒ»ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ

By Dana Johannsen of RNZ

Dame Noeline Taurua is to be reinstated as Silver Ferns coach, ending a bruising two-month saga that divided the netball community and tested the sport’s leadership.

RNZ understands Taurua has reached an agreement with Netball New Zealand to resume her role at the end of the year.

A source close to the negotiations told RNZ an agreement was reached late on Friday night, and the parties are now working through the wording of the public statements and timing of the announcement.

Taurua is understood to have agreed to make changes to the high-performance environment, including some personnel changes.

Neither Netball NZ boss Jennie Wyllie, nor Taurua and her representatives immediately responded to requests for comment.

The resolution follows weeks of tense negotiations.

What began as a quietly handled cultural review spiralled into one of the biggest controversies in New Zealand netball history. Tensions erupted into public view last month, when Netball NZ abruptly stood down Dame Noeline and her coaching staff just days out from the Taini Jamison series against South Africa.

The move followed a breakdown in talks over proposed changes to the Silver Ferns programme.

It is understood Taurua was last month offered several pathways to reinstatement during lengthy mediation talks that followed the South African series, but the two parties remained deadlocked.

The impasse meant Netball NZ made the decision to extend Taurua’s suspension until the end of the year, sidelining the veteran coach from the Constellation Cup series against Australia and next month’s UK tour.

Despite a resolution being reached, it is understood Taurua will not return to the team for the remainder of the international season to limit the disruption in the Ferns camp.

The prolonged standoff has exposed strains, not only in the sport’s leadership, but also within the Ferns squad, where players have had to shoulder the uncertainty of a shifting high-performance environment.

The mental toll of the highly public dispute has been evident in the Ferns’ performances during the Constellation Cup. Led by interim coaches Yvette McCausland-Durie and Liana Leota, the NZ women have suffered 17-goal defeats to Australia in the two opening matches – both off the back of second-half lapses.

The Ferns will take the court against Australia on Sunday night in Hamilton for the third test.

- RNZ