Three players have earned Silver Ferns recalls for next month's Constellation Cup against Australia, including Te Paea Selby-Rickit, who hasn't played in the black dress since 2023.
Selby-Rickit, Peta Toeava and Parris Mason have been named in head coach Dame Noeline Taurua's side for the series.
Selby-Rickit last played for New Zealand at the 2023 World Cup in South Africa and had made herself unavailable for international selection since then. A season with the Queensland Firebirds in Australia's Super Netball competition this year encouraged her to return.
"Playing in Australia against quality opposition week in week out, it just reminded me how much I love to be tested at that level," Selby-Rickit said.
"Super grateful to be back in the squad and super impressed with the quality of training. The standards that the leadership group has set, you can just see it in the way the girls operate in the environment."
The Silver Ferns will also play the Net Blacks, New Zealand's men's team, in three matches in November. Laura Balmer is in line to make her debut, while fellow squad members Tayla Earle and Aliyah Dunn have also been named.
Kate Heffernan, Georgia Heffernan and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan won't play against the men, giving them time to rest before another big year, with the World Cup in August 2027.
The squad trained in Auckland last week, and Dame Noeline said players were energised after coming back together following their Commonwealth Games gold.
"It was just beautiful to watch actually. Some really good netball. Yes, they come off annual leave, but the whole camp was just amazing," she said.
The Constellation Cup begins on October 18 at Auckland's Spark Arena.
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including terror close to a British air base, and an unlikely win for the Wallabies. (Source: 1News)
SHARE ME