3 minute read

New Zealand's netball World Cup final win over Australia will add excitement to this year's Constellation Cup series says Diamonds' coach Lisa Alexander.

Australian netball coach Lisa Alexander predicts New Zealand's World Cup final win over the Diamonds will ramp up excitement for the annual Constellation Cup series between the great rivals in October.

The four matches in Christchurch, Auckland, Sydney and Perth will be the first clashes between the nations since New Zealand's 52-51 triumph in last months World Cup final in England.

Australia have dominated the annual series, winning it in eight of the nine years it's been contested and all of the past six, losing just 10 of 36 Constellation Cup encounters.

"(New Zealand's World Cup win) is going to make this series much more exciting," Alexander said.

"I think it was becoming a little bit of 'oh Australia win it every year' and it was getting a little bit blase.

"I know this will give a big injection of pride and interest in New Zealand.

"I think the (Australian) team will be chomping at the bit to have the opportunity to play New Zealand again."

She said the reviews into Australia's World Cup campaign and the last four-year international cycle had started.

Alexander, who will mark her 100th Test as coach with the second Constellation Cup game, is contracted to 2020, with an option to go beyond the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

She reiterated she had the energy and desire to complete another full cycle but Netball Australia would make a call on the position next year.

"I think the work we've done with this young group is really exciting," she said.

"Most likely the majority of them will go through to that next benchmark event and they will have had the huge experience of going through this World Cup, so that's really exciting."

"We've got some great young exciting talent coming up through Suncorp Super Netball as well, so I'd be thrilled to be part of it.

"But it's Netball Australia and the board's decision next year around whether that continues."

Alexander said she had been a little hurt by some of the criticism surrounding Australia's failure to win the World Cup, a year after losing the Commonwealth Games final to England by the same margin.

"People need to understand the perspective of where world netball is now, it's not like it was even 12 years ago," she said.

"It's not a two-horse race anymore, it's clearly five teams."