Winning start for NZ netball team in Glasgow
Top seeds in Pool B, the New Zealand netball team got their 2026 Commonwealth Games campaign away to a positive start after posting a solid 74-44 win over hosts Scotland in Glasgow on Saturday.
Playing the opening game of the tournament at the unfamiliar time of 9am and in front of a heavily-weighted local crowd and in their alternative silver strip, it took the New Zealanders most of the match to blow out the cobwebs before launching a forceful last quarter run home.
Scotland made New Zealand work hard for much of the match, the New Zealanders taking time in adjusting to the numerous changes coach Dame Noeline Taurua made throughout with 11 of her 12-strong team enjoying plenty of on-court minutes.
It also meant Commonwealth Games debuts for captain Karin Burger, Maddy Gordon, Georgia Heffernan, Kimiora Poi, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, Martina Salmon, Carys Stythe and Amelia Walmsley.
"I think it was a really good first hit-out and we built beautifully over the four quarters and that's what we wanted to do today," New Zealand assistant coach Briony Akle said.
"We were concentrating on being patient with the ball at circle edge and working everyone into the game and it was pleasing to get a lot of our players into the game at various stages which was a bonus.
"We now just have to improve our protection of the ball. We got loads of ball back on defence and it's about treasuring it, so looking after turnovers is something we need to be better at."
Letting loose in the final 15 minutes, New Zealand hit their straps to outscore Scotland 21-7 in an encouraging opening while establishing their connections and combinations.
New Zealand made a quick start before being reeled in by a competitive Scotland early in the piece. Taking time to find their feet and communication links, the New Zealanders broke the shackles late in the opening quarter with a strong surge.
Finding more rhythm on attack and ball-winning defensive turnovers from Kelly Jackson, who was strong throughout, and Burger pushed New Zealand out to a 19-11 lead at the first break.
There were wholesale changes for the New Zealand team on the resumption with Kate Heffernan moving to centre (from wing defence), Gordon to wing attack (from centre) and Burger across court to wing defence while, off the bench, Salmon slotted into goal attack and Stythe, goal defence.
The changes, again, took time to settle while Scotland, with the same personnel, provided some strong resistance on defence where captain Emily Nicholl (goal defence) and goalkeeper Cerys Finn kept the New Zealand shooters honest.
At the other end, Scottish goal attack Niamh McCall combined expertly with wing attack Iona Christian in the attacking third while McCall proved a reliable presence under the hoop.
The rangy Stythe had an impressive start with her quick footwork and ability to disrupt play, to work well in tandem with Jackson. However, things didn't gel as well on attack with the new connections taking time but Nweke, in her 50th international, ensured New Zealand retained their overall edge through her accuracy under the hoop, when leading 35-24 at the main break.
There were more changes for the third stanza, with Reuelu-Buchanan coming on in the unfamiliar position of wing defence and Walmsley taking over from Nweke, the New Zealanders getting away to a quick and productive start.
That trend soon reversed when Scotland pounced on a string of New Zealand errors to go on an unanswered six-goal scoring streak with tall shooter Emma Barrie finding her groove to chip away at the deficit. In a similar scenario to the previous quarters, the New Zealanders regathered the momentum with a strong finish.
Walmsley was a strong presence under the hoop while Jackson and Stythe continued to gain extra ball as the New Zealanders pushed their advantage out to 16 when leading 53-37 at the last break.
The New Zealand team have four further pool matches ahead of next weekend's final place play-offs, starting with a crunch match against Jamaica on Monday (July 27) at 8am (NZT).