After an unprecedented build-up, the Silver Ferns silenced their critics by thumping South Africa 77-51 in the opening game of the Taini Jamison series in Auckland tonight.
It was the response they needed after the lead-in was dominated by news that coach Noeline Taurua had been stood down for the series.
Fans will have expected more from South Africa, who drew with the Silver Ferns in their last meeting in 2023 and had already played seven tests this season.
But the Silver Ferns, led by interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie, were dominant from the opening whistle, determined to put the outside noise behind them.
Grace Nweke showed how much her game has grown after a domestic season in Australia.
She was strong on the take in the air, demanded the ball and finished with 59 goals.
Georgia Heffernan, playing her first tests on home soil, found good space in to Nweke, splitting the South African defence.
The Proteas had nice flow on attack, finding the circle edge and waiting to find the hot hand of Rolene Streuker under the post.
Streuker was not afraid to turn to the post from out wide and had a good battle with Kelly Jackson.
Jackson started to win the contest after rejecting Streuker’s shot, and the Silver Ferns went flying through the court.
Peta Toeava drove hard in to the pocket and her connection with Nweke – from their days together at the Northern Mystics – was prevalent.
The Silver Ferns burst out to a 20-8 lead at the quarter break.
Elemere van der Berg – who will play alongside Kate Heffernan in the Adelaide Thunderbirds next year – replaced Streuker in the circle, and Martina Salmon made her debut at goal attack for the Silver Ferns in the second quarter.
The Silver Ferns' ball speed was punishing. They kept it flat and Nweke held high in the circle, peeled off and presented a square option.
They smothered the middle channel, making things hard for the Proteas attackers to get any punch through the goal third.
Nicola Smith picked up a much-needed cross-court intercept for the Proteas, who finished with a nice passage of play at the other end.
But it was few and far between and the Proteas put each other under unneeded pressure.
Jackson and Karin Burger – acting captain against her home country – confused the space and Burger tracked her opponents everywhere.
Salmon drove the top of the circle nicely and went to post more.
The Silver Ferns dominated to lead 41-22 at halftime.
The Proteas hurt themselves, throwing wayward balls and making basic errors.
But they just had no answers for the Silver Ferns' placement on the feed into Nweke, who always presented as an option.
Maddy Gordon was the engine room of the midcourt and never took a backwards step.
Parris Mason, who was injected at goal defence, came around the body and ran through a brilliant intercept in the circle.
It was a better quarter from the Proteas only losing 17-13.
But the damage had been early and the Silver Ferns led 58-35 at the break.
The intensity waned through the final quarter with the home side cruising to victory.
All 12 players took to the court for the Silver Ferns with Catherine Hall making her debut at goal keep in the final quarter.
The Silver Ferns play South Africa in Napier on Wednesday.
Taini Jamison Trophy
The scores
Silver Ferns 77
Grace Nweke 59/67, Georgia Heffernan 9/11, Martina Salmon 9/11
South Africa 51
Rolene Streuker 7/12, Kamogelo Maseko 7/11, Elemere van der Berg 35/42, Nichole Breedt 2/3
Quarter scores: Silver Ferns 20-8, 41-22, 58-35
