Yvette McCausland-Durie has proved the perfect caretaker coach for embattled Silver Ferns

Sunday, 16 November 2025

Yvette McCausland-Durie has thrived as interim head coach of the Silver Ferns.

At Copper Box Arena, London: Silver Ferns 61 (Grace Nweke: 52/55, Georgia Heffernan: 5/5, Amelia Walmsley: 4/4) England 58 (Liv Tchine: 31/33, Helen Housby: 20/22, Eleanor Cardwell: 7/10) 1Q: 15-14, HT: 33-30, 3Q: 47-47.

ANALYSIS: Netball New Zealand ought to send Yvette McCausland-Durie a luxurious present this Christmas.

The Silver Ferns’ caretaker coach has done some job stepping in for the sidelined Dame Noeline Taurua amid a turbulent time for the sport in this country.

McCausland-Durie would have been smiling post-game after the Silver Ferns produced an impressive 61-58 victory over England at London’s Copper Box Arena on Sunday (NZ time).

She will know the side cannot get ahead of themselves against a classy Roses side. The teams square off in two more matches, back at the Copper Box on Monday (4am start NZ time) and in Manchester on Thursday.

Sparked by a player of the match showing from wing defence Kate Heffernan and another sublime shooting outing from Grace Nweke, who shot 52 from 55, the Ferns took first blood against England.

Yvette McCausland-Durie has brought calmness to a chaotic situation, stepping in for Dame Noeline Taurua as Silver Ferns coach.

It was an encouraging display from the Ferns, following on from their excellent performances to close out the Constellation Cup against Australia in New Zealand. The Ferns came within a whisker of retaining the Constellation Cup, only pipped in ‘series decider time’ after a 2-2 series stalemate.

To think the Ferns were hammered by 17 goals in back-to-back matches to open the Constellation Cup in October.

With the Taurua saga raging on and the Silver Ferns struggling, things could have easily imploded.

Since then, the Ferns have resembled a different side on-court and seem to be growing in confidence with each performance as their connections strengthen.

McCausland-Durie has been a safe pair of hands for the Silver Ferns at a time where NNZ could ill-afford any more unwanted headlines.

Silver Ferns interim head coach Yvette McCausland-Durie at a training session in Auckland prior to the Constellation Cup.

After the final two tests against England she will be back to the school yard at Tipene St Stephen’s School in south Auckland, where she is co-principal with husband Nathan Durie. McCausland-Durie has had plenty on her plate there too with the boys’ boarding school reopening this year after a 25-year hiatus.

The three-time Central Pulse ANZ Premiership title-winning coach was of course chucked in the deep down when NNZ sensationally stood down Taurua in September.

McCausland-Durie was the perfect person to step into the interim coach role. She has always been highly regarded in netball circles. Steeped in mana with a calm demeanour, McCausland-Durie has ensured the Silver Ferns players can function together as one on court without having to be best mates off it.

With some players in the squad clearly pro-Taurua and others appearing to have reservations, McCausland-Durie kept the peace and delivered results.

The Silver Ferns have pushed any differences in the group to one side, presenting a united front on-court.

Taurua was eventually reinstated to the role after an ugly 45-day stand-off with NNZ, stemming back to a training camp in Sydney in January and issues in the Ferns’ high performance programme.

She will take over the role next year and will know despite not having much preparation time with the group, the Ferns are a genuine chance of Commonwealth Games gold.

Little separates the three best sides in world netball, Australia, New Zealand, and England. Often it comes down to a few tiny moments in a nail-biting finish.

The way the Silver Ferns are playing under McCausland-Durie has prevented another public relations nightmare for NNZ.

Had they been thumped back in New Zealand in the final two Constellation Cup matches and battled against England, the knives would have been out in force.

Win one of the final two matches against England and capture the series and it would be another fillip on McCausland-Durie’s resume.

McCausland-Durie has repeatedly said she is just keeping the Silver Ferns’ coaching seat warm, filling in for Taurua. A series win over England would increase the pressure on Taurua to come in and get results next year.

McCausland-Durie has put the team in almost the perfect position for Taurua to resume control, and saved some of NNZ’s blushes.