Following a grueling 51 days, Dame Noeline Taurua was reinstated as Silver Ferns coach and it seemed like the sport was ready to move forward.
However, the fragile peace that brought her back is now showing signs of strain, with new legal exchanges and lingering distrust suggesting that the underlying issues within New Zealand netball are far from being resolved. Dana Johannsen provides the details.
The atmosphere inside the High Performance Sport NZ boardroom was tense and weary.
The meeting had been fraught and confrontational at times, but as discussions between officials and Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua continued into the evening, there was a sense that progress was finally being made.
Present at the table were Silver Ferns management, top officials from Netball NZ, representatives from High Performance Sport NZ, player representatives, and a few lawyers.
The future of the Silver Ferns program hung in the balance.
Taurua and her coaching team were supposed to be in camp with the squad preparing for the Taini Jamison series against South Africa – the first in a busy international season for the Ferns in 2025.
However, a growing dispute behind closed doors forced the camp to be postponed for two days while the parties convened for a crisis meeting.
Months prior, a group of up to seven players had raised concerns about the team environment, leading Netball NZ to commission a ‘cultural review’. Taurua and her coaching team of Debbie Fuller and Briony Akle pushed back, adamantly rejecting the findings and the review process.
Now, with the international season approaching, an urgent resolution was needed.
On September 5, the parties gathered at High Performance Sport NZ’s headquarters in Auckland to address the issues.
According to sources on both sides, by late afternoon there was agreement on the changes to be made.
It was decided that former All Blacks team manager Darren Shand and Silver Ferns great Tracey Fear would join the Ferns camp for the South Africa series to provide additional support for the players.
However, what transpired next is where the stories diverge.
According to Taurua’s team, the coaching staff were willing to comply with all proposed conditions and had even helped create a player safeguarding plan, only for Netball NZ board chair Matt Whineray to withdraw support at the last minute.
On the other hand, multiple sources claim that Taurua was the one who abruptly changed her stance, particularly after discussing how the changes would be communicated to the players.
One insider recalls her saying, ‘I’m not feeling it eh, I’m not feeling it in my wairua [soul],’ prompting Whineray to plead with her, ‘Noeline, we’re almost there.’
Despite efforts, no resolution was reached.
What initially began as a discreet cultural review was on the brink of turning into a major controversy in New Zealand netball history.
With no resolution in sight, Netball NZ had to cancel the Ferns’ camp while they worked behind the scenes to devise a plan.
Five days later, the national body made the surprising announcement that Taurua and her coaching team had been stood down for the South Africa series.
For a sport unfamiliar with being in the spotlight, the public backlash was significant. The 51-day standoff unfolded amidst intense media coverage and social media campaigns.
Finally, last month, Taurua was reinstated as head coach in a remarkably simple resolution that had been proposed months earlier, long before tensions became public.
RNZ has interviewed more than a dozen sources from both sides to uncover the events of the past four months, revealing deeper issues of power, culture, and accountability in New Zealand sports.
Conflicting Narratives
Just over a week after her reinstatement, veteran coach Taurua broke her silence, relieved to share “her truth”.
In a full-day media blitz, Taurua spoke to major media outlets multiple times, patiently answering questions.
By the time RNZ In Depth spoke with Taurua late in the afternoon, the emotional toll of the day was evident. Taurua broke down twice and had to leave the room to compose herself.
“It’s been terrible, it’s been a terrible experience,” Taurua said, holding back tears.
“My name’s been put out there without me being able to say anything. I’ve taken it all.”
Later, she discussed the isolating experience of her 51-day suspension.
“While I was stood down, I was just worrying about what was right in front of me. I couldn’t even think about what was the next day. Couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, a lot of times …,” she said, breaking down into tears again.
While the physical, mental, and emotional toll on the 57-year-old coach was evident, there were aspects of her account that raised questions.
Throughout the day, Taurua repeatedly claimed that she did not know why she was stood down or had any insight into the players’ specific concerns.
“In simple terms, I don’t know. And that’s my truth.”
When questioned about the player complaints, Taurua admitted that she didn’t know the specifics. This confusion led to further probing from Hosking, who pointed out the lack of understanding surrounding her suspension. Taurua cryptically responded that she understood the situation, revealing that she had been advised not to say that she didn’t know the reasons for her suspension.
Later, Taurua acknowledged receiving a letter outlining the reasons for her suspension but couldn’t disclose the contents due to terms negotiated with Netball NZ. She confirmed meeting with the author of the review, Bryan Stronach, to discuss the players’ concerns with the team environment.
Despite her attempts to clarify, the confusion persisted, with employment lawyers publicly discussing the legality of Netball NZ’s actions. Taurua’s remarks prompted the board to address her comments, potentially breaching the terms of her agreement.
The ongoing saga has been clouded by misinformation and conflicting accounts, leading to frustration among officials. The essence of the issue, as clarified by a high-performance official, was Taurua’s response to the raised concerns rather than the complaints themselves.
The review process revealed various player concerns, including a “culture of fear” and inconsistent standards within the team environment. Taurua’s response to these issues remains a point of contention, with her assertion that the problems were not environmental but individual in nature.
The lack of clarity and consistent messaging throughout the dispute has contributed to the confusion surrounding the situation, highlighting a broader issue of miscommunication and diverging narratives. What is the significance of those numbers in terms of weighting?
Taurua disagreed with the characterization of the report revealing a culture of fear, stating, “Those words that you’ve used are not right in my mind of what I’ve read.” “Finding common ground can sometimes take time, but we are pleased to have reached that point now.”
It is essential to uphold the law to ensure the protection of everyone involved in sports, including athletes, staff, and coaches. This has been a significant learning experience for me,” she stated.
Her journey of legal education continues.
Taurua acknowledged that she is treading carefully to both respect the terms of the reinstatement agreement with Netball NZ and speak honestly about her experiences.
However, a player representative expressed concerns that the truths of Netball NZ and Taurua still appear to be far apart.
“I am unsure about how we can move forward from this point, truly uncertain,” the representative said.
