Nickname(s) | Diamonds |
---|---|
Association | Netball Australia |
Head coach | Lisa Alexander |
Captain | Sharni Layton |
Most caps | Liz Ellis (122) |
INF ranking | 1 |
First international | |
Australia 40 – 11 New Zealand Melbourne, 1938 |
|
Largest win | |
Australia 113 - 12 Singapore Sydney, 1991 |
|
Largest defeat | |
New Zealand 61 - 36 Australia Auckland, 2005 |
|
World Championships | |
2015 placing | First |
Titles won | 11 |
Commonwealth Games | |
2014 placing | First |
Best result | First (1998, 2002, 2014) |
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.
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.