They ended up with a situation they didn’t want – a three-way tie. “It was also such a watershed moment for international netball. Silver Fern shooter Margaret Forsyth at the 1979 world tournament in Trinidad and Tobago. But it’s also about all the things you have to get through, the things that build your resilience,” Gunson says. That was obvious as she led the Silver Ferns to a three-way share of the 1979 Netball World Cup title with Australia and hosts Trinidad & Tobago, under the coaching of Dame Lois Muir.
Taking on the leadership role at 24, Gunson (then Parker) was an astute reader of the game and a perfectionist on and off the court. Of her 11 years in the Silver Ferns, Gunson was captain for six of those – a statistic that shows her brilliance. Now 77, she has links to the current Ferns – as a cousin of midcourter Kate Heffernan. Langrope retired straight after and focused on her career as a teacher, in Auckland then Christchurch. Unfortunately, the Cantabrian was injured during the tournament and could only watch as New Zealand lost to England for the first time the Ferns ending up third. 1975: Shirley LangropeĪ quick and inventive midcourter, Langrope (nicknamed Frog for her leap) captained the Silver Ferns at their first home World Cup in 1975. Harnett-Kindley forged a career in real estate, and was a board member of New Zealand’s Real Estate Institute. Harnett was voted New Zealand’s ‘dream player’ of netball’s first 75 years. Voted player of the tournament at the 1967 World Cup, the Canterbury shooter led the Ferns four years later in Jamaica where, still playing the round robin format, they ended up bridesmaids to Australia once more. “It’s been a fabulous journey,” says Blair, who has eight grandchildren and a great granddaughter.Ĭredited with changing the public perception of netball in New Zealand, Harnett was often dubbed the ‘belle of the court'. She’s had to have a hip replacement.īlair coached for decades, and followed her Silver Ferns daughter, Belinda Charteris (who played at two World Cups).
If Blair could change anything back then, it would be playing on hard courts – in unforgiving solid shoes. But there were no accolades when we came home.”
“A group of Kiwis in the stands did a haka back to us,” the 81-year-old Cantabrian says. Straight after securing New Zealand’s first World Cup victory, the team performed a haka. “We played seven games and didn’t lose one. “My first son was 20 months old when I went to Perth in 1967 – there were three mums in that team,” she says. “We lost to Australia by one, and we were devastated,” she says.Ī petite attacker and charismatic leader, Blair had to wait another four years to be re-selected – this time as the national captain. Away from home for four months at the first world tournament playing in heavy gym frocks: “We started the tournament with black stockings but by the end we wore white socks.” Accepting tipples of rum from the Jamaican players to combat the cold. 1967: Judy BlairĪn elegant and bright octogenarian, Blair quickly reels off World Cup memories. Judy Blair played 19 tests for New Zealand over eight years - such was the dearth of international competition. Having travelled six weeks by ship, New Zealand lost the final, 37-36, to Australia.īarham, a teacher, later moved to Australia and coached the national side in 1985 and ‘86. She died in 2001. Tall and strong with court smarts, Otago midcourter Barham led the Silver Ferns into a new era in netball - the seven-a-side game and defending the shot - at the first World Cup in England (when it was still called basketball). Suzanne McFadden tracks down the rest, and speaks to those who won as skipper. Netball Where are they now? Silver Ferns World Cup captainsĪmeliaranne Ekenasio is the 14 th captain to lead the Silver Ferns at a Netball World Cup.
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