Silver Ferns

Christchurch will host two tests on 2 and 3 March with two more in Tauranga on 5 and 7 March.

The Diamonds will arrive in Christchurch on 15 February and spend two weeks in managed isolation ahead of the series.

Last year's Constellation Cup series was postponed due to the global pandemic.

It will be Australia's first series in New Zealand under new coach Stacey Marinkovich.

The last time the two sides met was in October 2019 - when the Constellation Cup series was drawn 2-tests all, meaning the Diamonds retained the trophy.

Quarantine requirements in New Zealand and Australia and concerns about player welfare have contributed to the trans-Tasman netball tournament being moved until 2021.

However, the Silver Ferns and Diamonds will battle for two Constellation Cup titles next year, with one series scheduled for January/February and a second meeting scheduled for October.

"While it is disappointing not to be able to meet the Diamonds this year, we understand that in a year such as this, prioritising athlete welfare is paramount," Netball New Zealand head of high performance Keir Hansen said.

The 34-year-old hangs up her bib having played 163 tests.

The dynamic midcourter made her international debut against England in 2005 when she was 18.

Langman played at four World Cups and three Commonwealth Games.

She led the Silver Ferns to the world title in Liverpool last year and was also a member of two Commonwealth Games gold medal winning teams.

Domestically, she was part of the Waikato-BOP Magic side which won the trans-Tasman league in 2012 as well as an Australian league title with the Lightning in 2017.

The September Quad Series involving the two trans-Tasman rivals, along with England and South Africa was canned as a result of the Covid-19 impacts on borders.

Australia and New Zealand are still hoping the Constellation Cup will take place later this year but with a recent surge in cases in Australia, that's looking more precarious.

If a trans-Tasman bubble doesn't eventuate this year, the only other option would be if the Ferns went across the ditch and went through quarantine in order to play the Diamonds, or vice versa.

Missing an injured Michaela Sokolich-Beatson for the series and with shooter Bailey Mes nursing a minor niggle for today's match, coach Dame Noeline Taurua had less options at her disposal but it had little effect on the Silver Ferns ability to deliver a high-quality performance.

The Ferns launched the post Maria Folau era in style, beginning the Nations Cup with a comfortable 64-48 victory over England in Nottingham on Monday (NZ time).

New Zealand were missing 562 caps from their World Cup winning side, who tasted glory in Liverpool last July, with Folau and Casey Kopua both retired and usual captain Laura Langman and Katrina Rore rested for this series. 

Noeline Taurua's side produced an encouraging start to 2020 and the new World Cup cycle with Maia Wilson, who started in Folau's vacant goal shoot bib, shining in a rare start. 

Ekenasio - New Zealand's best player in their 2019 Netball World Cup win - will be joined by vice captains Jane Watson and Gina Crampton in a new-look leadership group the tournament which starts on Monday (NZ time).

The Silver Ferns once again used their team voting system which included all players, management, Netball NZ's chief executive and the head of high performance.

Head coach Noeline Taurua said they had taken an in-depth approach that took into consideration performance, relationships, communication styles, and personal characteristics.

The Silver Fern icon has retired from all netball, playing her final test series during October's Constellation Cup.

She signs off on an incredible career with 150 Test caps, a Netball World Cup gold medal , two Commonwealth Games gold medals, a Netball World Youth Cup gold medal and a large following who have admired Folau's trademark long-range shooting for well over a decade.

Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua said Folau would go down in history as one of New Zealand's Netball greats of the game.

New Zealand lead the best-of-four Constellation Cup against the Diamonds 2-1, with Sunday's clash in Perth to decide the winner.

The Silver Ferns beat Australia by a goal at the World Cup in July, and have twice beaten the Diamonds by the same margin during the current four-match series.

But Taurua just has to take one look at her country's poor Constellation Cup history to know her team has some way to go before it can be considered the best in the world.

New Zealand have won the series just once in nine attempts since its inception in 2010.

Lisa Alexander's team lifted for the master coach in her 100th Test, levelling the four match series at 1-1.

Gretel Tippett (23/24) was supreme under the ring, ably assisted by captain Caitlin Bassett (17/20) and Tegan Philip (8/9).

But this was a win masterminded by the back.

Goal keeper Courtney Bruce subdued the Maria Folau-led Silver Ferns attack with an intensity that lifted the whole Diamonds side.

The four-Test series now heads to Sydney and Perth, where wins would allow Australia to retain the trans-Tasman trophy for the seventh-straight time.