Dominant Aussie Diamonds see off England to claim World Cup title

Australia has won the Netball World Cup for the 12th time after a comprehensive* 61-45 win over England in a largely one-sided final in Cape Town, handing retiring star Ash Brazill a fairytale farewell.

After finishing the last cycle without either of netball’s benchmark* titles, the Diamonds now have the Commonwealth Games gold medal and World Cup safely in their keeping and hold every major trophy in the sport.

Brazill was outstanding in her final match, helping Australia win the midcourt battle that was crucial* in deciding the outcome of the match.

England coach Jess Thirlby had lit the fuse* for the decider, the coach labelling the Diamonds a group of star individuals rather than a cohesive* team, following the Roses’ one-goal win in the preliminary* stages.

But Australia showed the depth of its squad by running an entirely new shooting line-up in the second half and winning three of the four quarters to run away with the game.

Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin were injected into the match in place of regular shooters Cara Koenen and Steph Wood in the second quarter and grabbed their opportunity, 42 of the 61 goals between them and Austin winning MVP honours.

“I wasn’t really expecting it that early in the game but you’re always supposed to be ready to come on,” Garbin said.

“I was excited to get out there. I was super nervous coming on, especially not playing the last two games.”

Coach Stacey Marinkovich injected Garbin into the game midway through the second term, with Austin following soon after as both Koenen and Wood headed to the bench.

Garbin had a nervous* start but found her feet heading into halftime; with no release of the pressure they had applied from the start the Diamonds headed to halftime with a four-goal lead.

“I think that’s the great thing about the Diamonds is that our best seven is different against every single team,” Garbin said.

“I think this year (winning) has taken every single one of us.”

DREAM END FOR BRAZ

Brazill, who was on the verge of tears during the pre-match national anthem, said she had closed her eyes and drawn on childhood memories of the game while trying to keep it together ahead of the match.

“I had to close my eyes and pull it together and it’s funny, every time I closed my eyes, I just thought about playing back in Wollondilly with the apricot skirt and the asphalt* courts,” she said.

“It’s always been my dream to play for Australia and the fact that I’m at my first ever World Cup at 33, got my two kids in the crowd and my wife, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

“Every setback has made this moment 10 times better.”

The Aussies established an eight-goal lead in the third quarter, just as they had in their eventual one-goal loss to England in the preliminary rounds.

But where they faltered* on Thursday, they surged* in the final, turning that margin into a 10-goal lead at the final break and eventually winning by 16 after a 15-9 final quarter.

Knowing they would win made it possible to enjoy the final few minutes on court, something Brazill said was a joy.

“It was surreal*,” Brazill said.

“Paige (Hadley) and I were hugging while they were shooting a goal and there were still 45 seconds to go.

“(Winning) is all we really wanted to do. After England beat us and you read the articles that Helen (Housby) said that they were fitter than us and wanted it more … my blood was boiling and I just wanted to get back out there and play again.

“But they’re a class act team, I absolutely love playing England because when you go out on court, they’re so fierce and you’ve got to bring your A-game and I think we all did that today.”

AUSTRALIA 61 (Garbin 27, Austin 15, Koenen 10, Wood 9)

ENGLAND 45 (Cardwell 26, Housby 19)

POLL

GLOSSARY

• comprehensive: completing and including everything necessary
• benchmark: standard by which different groups and individuals are measured or judged
• crucial: extremely important decision or result
• lit the fuse: did or said something that started an action or reaction
• cohesive: united and working together effectively
• preliminary: early, something that is introductory or precedes the main part
• nervous: uncertain, jumpy, anxious
• asphalt: black, sticky substance, often mixed with small stones or sand, that forms a strong surface used in roads, footpaths and outdoor courts
• faltered: lost strength or purposed, stopped or nearly stopped
• surged: to increase suddenly and strongly, powerful rise in some action
• surreal: bizarre, weird, strange, really unusual

EXTRA READING

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QUICK QUIZ

1. What was the final score in the 2023 Netball World Cup final?
2. Which Diamond was playing her last match?
3. Who had ‘lit the fuse’ ahead of the decider against England and how?
4. Who had a nervous start but soon found her feet?
5. What did Ash Brazill see every time she closed her eyes ahead of the match?

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