Silver Ferns defeat Diamonds in Constellation Cup opener

New Zealand’s Silver Ferns secured a 56-50 victory over Australia’s Diamonds in the opening test of the 2026 Constellation Cup at Auckland’s Spark Arena. The win marks a significant momentum shift for the Commonwealth Games gold medallists as they seek to disrupt the netball hierarchy ahead of next year’s World Cup.

New Zealand’s Grace Nweke dominated the match, scoring 40 goals from 41 attempts. The Silver Ferns established an early lead that grew to a 10-goal margin by halftime, driven by defensive pressure from Kelly Jackson and Karin Burger. While the Diamonds improved in the third quarter and won that period 17-10, they were unable to overcome the deficit.

The match was a milestone event for several Australian players, including Courtney Bruce, who earned her 100th cap, and Sophie Garbin, who played her 50th. However, the Diamonds were hampered by the absence of Jo Weston and Kate Moloney.

If New Zealand wins the remainder of the four-game series, they could overtake Australia for the world No. 1 ranking for the first time since 2013. The second test is scheduled to take place in Christchurch, with the series later moving to Sydney and Melbourne.