PremiumOpinionOpinion byAlice SoperContributing Sports Writer·nzme·5 Aug, 2026 11:01 PM4 mins to readAlice Soper is a sports columnist for the Herald on Sunday. A former provincial rugby player and current club coach, she has a particular interest in telling stories of the emerging world of women's sports.From left: Blues lock Tafito Lafaele celebrates winning the Super Rugby Aupiki final; Amelia Walmsley celebrates winning gold with the Silver Ferns at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games; Former Phoenix ace Phoenix Olivia Fergusson.
Photos / PhotosportThe Silver Ferns’ win in Glasgow put them on top of the netball world. Their unbeaten run was a welcome respite after the woes endured in the past 18 months. Any celebrations, though, will be short-lived as the gold medallists return to an uncertain future.
Netball New Zealand
