Diamonds shine, Fiji celebrate historic wins and Silver Ferns look to rebound in second test

The Silver Ferns will need to take a good, hard look at their fourth-quarter collapse in Melbourne on Friday as they prepare for the second Constellation Cup test in Sydney on Wednesday.

The final score in the first match blew out to a 17-goal margin.

While the Diamonds achieved their largest quarter margin of 13 goals, the Ferns’ structure unravelled under pressure as Australia’s defence shut down their options for the ball.

Until the final quarter, the match was closely contested, with no quarter decided by more than two goals. The turning point came when the Diamonds raised their attacking tempo and capitalised on turnovers.

At the packed John Cain Arena, Centre and 2025 Suncorp Super Netball champion Kate Moloney led from the front, dictating the midcourt battle. Moloney earned the player of the match honours after totalling 34 feeds and 22 goal assists, contributing to the Diamonds’ 26 per cent advantage in fourth-quarter possession.

The Ferns struggled to find rhythm at either end of the court, unable to contain the Diamonds’ shooting duo or capitalise on opportunities inside their own circle.

Silver Ferns Goal Attack Martina Salmon. Photo/James Ross/Photosport

Yvette McCausland-Durie, the interim coach for the Silver Ferns, made nine changes throughout the match in search of momentum, including bringing on Mystics defender Catherine Hall to counter the in-form Sophie Garbin, who finished with 45 goals from 48 attempts.

Despite recent off-court challenges following the stand-down of Dame Noeline Taurua, the Ferns showed resilience.

Goal shooter Martina Salmon impressed in just her fourth test, and her first against Australia, holding her own against the experienced pair of Courtney Bruce and Sunday Aryang.

Grace Nweke of New Zealand catches the ball during the first test match of the Constellation Cup. Photo/James Ross/Photosport

Salmon showed impressive accuracy while on the court for 51 minutes, even after facing an early rejection at the post by Bruce in the first half.

While a repeat of last year’s clean sweep is no longer possible, the Ferns head to Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, with the first centre pass set for 10.30pm, New Zealand time.

Melanesia Cup: Fiji defeat PNG

In basketball news, it was a historic day for the Fiji women’s basketball team as they won their second straight FIBA Women’s Melanesian Cup against Papua New Guinea.

After trailing early, Fiji took control from the second quarter, extending their lead to 19 points at one stage and maintaining a double-digit advantage throughout.

The final marked the third consecutive championship match between the two nations. PNG won the title in 2017 before Fiji reclaimed it on home soil 65-54 in 2022.

Fiji’s guard Estelle Kainamoli was relentless throughout the whole competition and was awarded Most Valuable Player.In the final, she rounded out her outstanding performance with 12 points, seven rebounds, and six steals.

The 22-year-old star was also selected for the All-Star Five alongside team-mate Bulou Tuisue, New Caledonia’s Adeline Souque, and Papua New Guinea’s Lynette Tongia and Jackie Asiba. Both PNG and Fiji have already secured their spots for the Pacific Games 2027 in Tahiti, which will serve as a qualifying event for the FIBA Asia Cup 2033 Pre-Qualifiers.

For more details and results from the FIBA Melanesia Cup, click here.

Fiji’s guard Estelle Kainamoli. Photo/FIBA Basketball

Pacific Championships: Fiji Bati too good for Cook Islands

Meanwhile, standout performances continued for the Fiji Bati, with fullback Jahream Bula delivering a masterclass in a 44-24 victory over the Cook Islands.

The Wests Tigers star’s brilliance was on full display as he scored the first three tries of the match and added another just before halftime, hitting a pass from his five-eighth Kurt Donoghue. Bula showed his speed and skill with a well-timed grubber kick.

Despite the Cook Islands’ strong comeback in the second half, the eight-tries-to-four scoring ratio proved too much for Atiu to chase down.

Returning to the Fijian team for the first time since 2023, Brandon Wakeham elevated his side off the boot, converting six of eight tries.

While they faced a tough loss, the Cook Islands showed promising signs of resilience, aiming to peak just before their World Cup qualifier against South Africa on 9 November.

For Fiji, their next match is against the Papua New Guinea Kumuls on Saturday, 1 November. Kick-off at 6pm, New Zealand time. For more information on fixtures and results, click here.