Injured skipper Casey Kopua will be a huge loss for the Silver Ferns, but it's a setback that fellow defender Katrina Grant says they have been insuring against.
Kopua was stretchered off with a serious knee injury during the final quarter of the 47-34 defeat to Australia in the third Constellation Cup netball Test in Sydney on Saturday.
The two sides meet in the final Test in Auckland on Wednesday night, with the Silver Ferns looking to avoid a 4-0 whitewash.
"Casey is the head of our defensive unit and it does change things up a bit," Grant said on Monday.
"She's a huge loss to us, but we do train without her at times in case anything like this happens.
"We've been training well when we do change in and out and hopefully it will be seamless."
Kopua returned across the Tasman with her teammates on Sunday ahead of a medical assessment to determine the extent of the injury.
Grant said it was "pretty shocking" to see what happened on court and the incident had brought the team closer together.
It should also provide some added motivation.
"You definitely want to do it for Casey," Grant said.
"She is such an inspirational leader. She was having one of her best best games at the back. She was in outstanding form."
Kopua's absence, and with it her 87 caps of experience, 63 of them as skipper, will test New Zealand's defensive depth.
Her replacement in the squad is Kayla Cullen, who has 12 Test appearances.
Cullen has also been on her own long road to recovery from a knee injury suffered last year, while another option is newcomer Temalisi Fakahokotau, who has yet to get court time in the series.
Share
