Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua opens up on ‘horrific experience’ that blindsided her

Monday, 3 November 2025

As Dame Noeline Taurua describes it, Monday morning at 7am felt like game day at the helm of the Silver Ferns.

She wasn’t delivering a team talk or lining up for the national anthem, though, but gripping a phone for the first of a long line of interviews with media outlets.

“(There was) a lot of adrenaline, a bit of anxiousness, a lot of excitement, and as the morning has progressed, I am starting to hit the first quarter and things are starting to settle,” she told The Post, on the day she finally broke her silence nearly eight weeks since Netball New Zealand announced she was stood down as coach.

Now reinstated, but not taking the team on their UK tour this month, Taurua was unsure why Netball NZ hadn’t simply put her up for a press conference. But she did what her employer asked, and opened her heart about what the last two months had meant.

“Personally it’s taken its toll. It was a horrific experience. I’ve never experienced anything like this or had any such concerns or allegations and I’ve been working in this industry for over 25 years. It really blindsided me and I found it quite difficult to navigate.

“In saying that, what was overwhelming was the public support, and from the netball community. That helped me and my family to not feel so isolated… it was, ugh, I can’t even find the words. It was tough, really tough to get them through day by day.”

Her husband and children, and wider family, were immense supporters at home at Pukehina Beach in Bay of Plenty, as she stayed silent and watched the furore play out. When the email dropped on September 10 - confirming she was stood down for the South Africa series as changes to the Silver Ferns high performance programme and environment were discussed - she was flooded with support from past players, some of whom she barely knew.

One of the worst parts was; it still hasn’t been explained to her what concerns were raised, reportedly after a Silver Ferns camp in Sydney in January when some players felt the environment was “psychologically unsafe” and it was escalated to the NZ Netball Players’ Association. No one came to her directly.

“Everyone is saying Sydney. I have no specifics… to meet the need or provide a solution.”

One thing was for sure, Taurua lawyered up and braced for a fight, her reputation tarnished.

“When words like psychological harm and fear are put out there, and you’re not able to talk against that, there is reputational damage; not only for myself but the people that I work with who are amazing, our Silver Fern brand, and netball,” Taurua said.

“It was really important for me that when I was reinstated, that Netball New Zealand actually mentioned there was no question about my integrity. That really needed to happen for me to come back into this position.

“The only other way you can do that is through legal (action), but I didn’t want to do that because I know that is taxpayer money in the netball community and sometimes the avenues of what our lawyers could do to negotiate at that time was the best route for me to get back into my job.”

Quizzed about what it was like in two days of meetings with Netball NZ in the first week of October, alongside her lawyer Stacey Shortall, when no resolution was reached, Taurua said: “Yeah, two days… um, it’s really between the lawyers and Netball New Zealand…”. Confidentiality clauses mean it will remain private.

Finally, on Saturday, October 25 it was confirmed: she was reinstated but wouldn’t return for the UK tour which starts against Scotland next Monday (NZT), to “minimise disruption”. Interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie will continue.

Did she ever think her days were over as Silver Ferns coach?

“I always had a gut feeling that I’d be back. Why I had that was, I didn’t do anything wrong. I know that I’ve got the support of the majority of people within the team as well, and that became very clear from the first day of my being stood down.

“If I didn’t have that support from the players, and the team - the majority - then I wouldn’t be here. I would stand down anyway myself and go off.

“What I also must say: If I get back in there and find that I don’t have support or majority then I will easily walk as well. Those are the things that kept me going; also the support of my family and the public telling me just to stay in there.”

When Taurua does return to prepare them for next year’s pinnacle event, the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July, is still being worked out. After the internationals against Scotland and England the Silver Ferns players are on annual leave, then next year’s domestic competition will roll around fast. She worries about the lost time by not being face to face with the players in recent weeks.

Asked if she will have to change her methods, Taurua is quick to insist she is always evolving, and pushes regular dialogue with players and for them to have a voice. She visited AFL club the Sydney Swans to study their men’s and women’s programmes, and also spent time with NRL clubs the Penrith Panthers and Sydney Roosters as part of her professional development. In the interim she also worked with Bay of Plenty Under-17s.

“I’m part of the system and I work with other coaches who have been in the game for over 20 years. I’m very confident about what we have set up. I haven’t had the opportunity to be able to execute and deliver on the things that we learned from the last time we were together.”

As to which Silver Ferns will, or won’t, be on board next year, Taurua says that’s a conversation for early 2026. Former skipper Ameliaranne Ekenasio made herself unavailable this year for family reasons and Taurua has no indication yet as to whether she will return for the Commonwealth Games.

“I usually work with the individual, because sometimes they just need a break or there’s a lot of other things. Then when we get to next year we go through the same process as well.

“I support athletes, people, with whatever direction they want to go. I’m 100% supportive of that. We’ll see what next year brings for her (Ekenasio) and where she wants to go in her netball international career.”