The Australia National Netball Team, commonly known as the Australian Netball Diamonds, represent Australia in international netball tests and competitions. The team was formed in 1938 and played in the first international game of netball against New Zealand. In 2008 the team adopted the nickname "Diamonds" in line with other Australian sporting teams, including the national women's basketball team, the Opals.
Australia have traditionally been regarded as the most successful netball team in international netball: they have won ten of the thirteen World Netball Championships, in addition to being the current world champions and ranked first in the INF World Rankings. The Diamonds compete annually in a home-and-away test series, the Constellation Cup, with perennial rivals New Zealand. Regular test matches are also held with other major netball countries, including England and Jamaica. To date, Australia have won ten World Championships and three Commonwealth Games events.The Australian diamonds won the 2015 trophy in Sydney, New South Wales .
The Diamonds are administered by Netball Australia, the national governing body for netball in the country. Players are usually selected from Australian ANZ Championship franchises. The team are presently captained by Queensland Firebirds defender Laura Geitz. Lisa Alexander was appointed head coach in August 2011, taking over from Norma Plummer.
History
Australia and England during a test match in 2008.
While they remain amongst the world's very best, they have come under increasing challenge from New Zealand's national team, the Silver Ferns, in recent years. New Zealand won the 2006 Commonwealth Games final and the grand final of the 2003 World Netball Championships, which saw Australia lose the top world ranking. However, Australia regained their status as world champions after winning the 2007 World Netball Championships.
Historically, the Australian team has had an edge over perennial rivals New Zealand, as posting 54 victories, as opposed to New Zealand's 36 out of the 90 tests they have played (as at October 2008), including two matches ending in a draw.
On 8 September 2008, Netball Australia launched officially named the national team the Australian Netball Diamonds.[1] Continuing the trend set by the Australian women's basketball team, the Opals, Netball Australia made the announcement and described it as a milestone event in the sport's 80-year history in Australia.
Australia won the 2011 World Netball Championships on 10 July 2011 when the team defeated New Zealand 58–57 overtime, giving them their tenth world championship.[2]
Competitive record
| Netball World Cup |
|---|
| Year |
Championship |
Location |
Placing |
| 1963 | 1st World Championships | Eastbourne, England |
 1st |
| 1967 | 2nd World Championships | Perth, Australia |
 2nd |
| 1971 | 3rd World Championships | Kingston, Jamaica |
1st |
| 1975 | 4th World Championships | Auckland, New Zealand |
1st |
| 1979 | 5th World Championships | Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago |
Joint 1st |
| 1983 | 6th World Championships | Singapore |
1st |
| 1987 | 7th World Championships | Glasgow, Scotland |
Joint 2nd |
| 1991 | 8th World Championships | Sydney, Australia |
1st |
| 1995 | 9th World Championships | Birmingham, England |
1st |
| 1999 | 10th World Championships | Christchurch, New Zealand |
1st |
| 2003 | 11th World Championships | Kingston, Jamaica |
2nd |
| 2007 | 12th World Championships | Auckland, New Zealand |
1st |
| 2011 | 13th World Championships | Singapore |
1st |
| 2015 | 14th World Cup | Sydney, Australia |
1st |
| 2019 | 15th World Cup | Liverpool, England |
Fast5 (formerly Fastnet)
Australia has competed in all six World Netball Series. The first series saw Australia's side all Diamond test players. Since the second series the fastnet/fast5 Australian team has contained both youthful and experienced players normally those just missing or not ready for Diamonds selection yet. Australia's Fast5 team is called the Fast5 Flyers.[3]
Players
2016 Diamonds Team
| Name |
Positions |
2016 ANZ Championship team |
| Caitlin Bassett | GS | West Coast Fever |
| April Brandley | GD, GK | West Coast Fever |
| Paige Hadley | WA, C, WD | New South Wales Swifts |
| Renae Ingles | WD, C | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| Sharni Layton | GK, GD, WD | New South Wales Swifts |
| Clare McMeniman | GD, WD, GK | Queensland Firebirds |
| Natalie Medhurst | GA, GS, WA | West Coast Fever |
| Gabi Simpson | WD, C | Queensland Firebirds |
| Caitlin Thwaites | GS, GA | New South Wales Swifts |
| Gretel Tippett | GA, WA, GS | Queensland Firebirds |
| Joanna Weston | GD, GK, WD | Melbourne Vixens |
|
Notable past players
Most-capped Australian netballers
Kit suppliers
Australia's kits are currently supplied by BLK.
See also
References
External links
|
|---|
| | Full members | |
|---|
| | Associate members |
- Abu Dhabi
- Bahrain
- Brunei
- Dubai
- Japan
- South Korea
- Mongolia
- Nepal
- Philippines
- Qatar
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40 – 11 
New Zealand
Singapore
3rd