The last time the Silver Ferns met Australia, coach Dame Noeline Taurua was left with a bad taste in her mouth after contentious umpiring calls left players from both sides confused.
New Zealand netball coach, Dame Noeline Taurua. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
But she's confident next month's Constellation Cup won't be remembered for umpiring controversies with New Zealand and Australian whistlers appointed for the series.
As a consequence of Covid-19 it will be the first time in around two decades that local umpires will control Tests between the two heavyweights of international netball.
Last year, the International Netball Federation (INF) introduced an interim policy to allow umpires to be appointed to games involving their own country, if it was too impractical to get umpires in from overseas.
It could be music to the ears for some netball fans.
In the Constellation Cup series decider in Perth in October 2019, New Zealand was penalised 66 times in the 53-46 defeat, having averaged 42 penalties over the first three tests.
So incensed was Dame Noeline, at the post match press conference she said she was "disturbed" by the "unacceptable" umpire appointment process.
She said it was hard for players to adapt to the interpretations of an umpire from Singapore who had not controlled any of the earlier Tests.
She wasn't alone - former Australian coach Norma Plummer described the umpiring in the final game as a "disastrous exhibition".
It prompted a recurring call from those who have long argued the best umpires should umpire Tests, no matter who's playing.
Next month they will get that, with top New Zealand whistlers Gareth Fowler and Kristie Simpson appointed, along with highly rated Australian umpire Joshua Bowring, who handily moved to Wellington two years ago.
Noeline Taurua looks on after the loss to the Australia Diamonds in the Constellation Cup decider in Perth - 27th October 2019. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2019 www.photosport.nz
The Silver Ferns' coach said the series deserved top quality umpires.
"Just as athletes or coaches are expected to be, you have to be ready. And I haven't been quiet in the past about some of the umpiring and for that reason I'm happy whether we have umpires New Zealand or Australian based. I feel they'll be excellent," Dame Noeline said.
She said while she understood the drive to improve the overall standard of umpires across a number of countries, they have to be ready to adjudicate the best players in the world.
"We are trying as a team to be able to raise our standards and that needs to be done in all levels in all roles within our sport. Unfortunately umpiring doesn't get that same support as players or coaches at this stage.
"We are progressing in that way but I think that's the overall drive is getting the quality of our game to international standards and for that happen that's got to also be reflected in the officials that manage the game."
In the early 2000s it became mandatory for international Tests to be controlled by neutral umpires.
Dame Noeline said it would be interesting to see if the Covid enforced experiment could lead to a re-think.
"That's always a talking point and it should always remain on the table about not only trying to improve the standard right across the board but also making sure that people aren't set up or that they are ready. So that always should be a talking point even if it is contentious and we should all be in the same boat.
"I think it's a good start and we'll talk about the positives and negatives that come out of what's going to happen in Constellation Cup. Probably if we do go over to Australia for the second round then it may have to be reciprocated with the Australian umpires taking management of the game but it's a start, because of Covid we were forced into that but we'll see where it needs to go in the future."
Things went smoothly when three local umpires were used in the Silver Ferns series against the England Roses last year.
But more will be riding on next month's series, with games between the arch-rivals having an uncanny habit of coming down to the wire.
Two of the four Tests in the last Constellation Cup came down to one goal.
But Dame Noeline believes New Zealand and Australian umpires are equipped to handle the pressure.
"I trust in our officials, whether we're over in Australia or here and the processes that's put around the officials to make sure there's no bias or you know that there is a process if we want to communicate with them. So I trust in that process and the level of umpires that I know that we are going to get, so I have no issue at all."
