Ferns claim third test

By Sophie Taylor

The third test of the 2025 Constellation Cup started with a bang and did not relent throughout a physical and trying battle in Hamilton.

With a heaving home crowd and everything on the line, the Ferns came out flying to claim a 61-52 victory on home soil.

High pressure, high physicality and high energy were exhibited from both sides as they came out with fires in the belly.

The battle between Courtney Bruce and Grace Nweke has been the one to watch this series, and that battle continued on New Zealand soil.

Sunday Aryang and Bruce got to a flying start against Nweke and Georgia Heffernan, finding space to force errors in the Ferns’ attack.

The home crowd atmosphere was critical to the Ferns’ contest, including a goal on the buzzer to secure a single goal lead at quarter time (12-13).

A massive second quarter had fans on the edge of their seats as the Ferns went 0-5 to start the term.

The Diamonds error rate elevated while the physical battle lifted again, with Jamie-Lee Price’s tagging game under the watchful eye of the umpires.

Sophie Dwyer entered the court in goal attack for the first time this series, bringing accuracy alongside Sophie Garbin whose strength proved critical.

A couple of good runs helped get the Diamonds back on track, trailing by one at the main break despite trailing by seven midway through the term.

The third quarter was where the going got tough, with the Ferns gaining momentum and the Diamonds set chasing.

The Ferns speed in transition was immense, piling on the pressure to create uncharacteristic errors from the Diamonds in attack and extending the margin as they did so.

An ankle tweak for Bruce forced a change in defence, with Sarah Klau and Tilly Garrett holding down the fort against a confident combination in Nweke and Amelia Walmsley.

Georgie Horjus added speed into the Diamonds attack out in wing attack, but the Ferns’ defensive pressure continued to mount thanks to hesitancy on the feed.

Trailing by 10 goals at the final change, head coach Stacey Marinkovich switched bibs once again with Bruce back out in goal keeper and Kiera Austin re-entering the match with Cara Koenen out the front.

While the Diamonds fought hard in the final quarter, it was too little, too late as the Ferns ran away with a nine-goal victory.

The Diamonds and Ferns will play one final test in Christchurch on Wednesday to close out the series.

Should the Ferns claim the final match, the two sides will go into “decider” protocols.

How is a winner decided if the teams have won two matches each at the end of the series? 

If the Diamonds and Ferns are tied with two wins each after the fourth game, then extra time will be played with the winner of the Series Decider Time to be awarded the Constellation Cup. 

There will be a 12-minute break in play for you to stretch your legs, run to the bathroom or restock snacks before two seven-minute halves are played. The scoreboard will be wiped to zero to begin this Series Decider Time and at the end of the first half there will be a four-minute break.  

If at the end of this Series Decider Time, the teams still can’t be separated play will continue until one team leads by two-goals and they will be crowned the Constellation Cup champions. There will be no break in play between the end of the Series Decider Time and the Series Decider Additional Time.