In the pantheon of world netball greats, South Africa-born shooter Irene van Dyk – who played 72 Tests for the Proteas before switching allegiances and playing 145 times for New Zealand – stands alone. For now anyway.
In just 30 on-court minutes during the second match of the four-Test Constellation Cup series between Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane on Sunday night, another towering goaler with connections to Africa hinted at greatness, even if she couldn’t drag her side over the line.
Grace Nweke, born in New Zealand to Nigerian parents, is a long way from inhabiting Van Dyk’s rarified air. But her two-quarter cameo in the 55-46 loss, as she returns from a patella injury sustained at the World Cup in July, showed why she might one day rival the great who played at five World Cups and four Commonwealth Games – and shot at 90% accuracy across a 20-year international career.
After she controversially switched from representing her native South Africa to New Zealand in 2000, 190cm Van Dyk was the Silver Ferns. She became arguably the most famous netballer on the planet thanks to her height, eye-popping leg split and deadly accuracy. She helped the Kiwis win the 2003 World Cup and back-to-back Commonwealth titles in 2006 and 2010.
She was the top scorer at the 2003 World Cup in Jamaica where she kept her cool as the Ferns played one player down for a period in the final against Australia. At the time, New Zealand hadn’t won the coveted title since 1987 and it took them until 2019 to win it again.
At domestic and international levels, Van Dyk dominated opponents with her slick movement and perpetual volume. She beat most players before they stepped into the circle on reputation alone. She was unlike any other player the game had seen.
Nweke, who is only 21 and stands three centimetres taller, has all the characteristics to be Van Dyk-like and looks set to carry the Kiwis’ fate on her broad shoulders for years to come.
Crucially, like Van Dyk, Nweke’s mere presence makes every one of her teammates stand taller. It was evident on Sunday night, when in just her 25th Test, Nweke replaced 19-year-old Amelia Walmsley at shooter at the start of the second quarter, with her side trailing 16-11.
Suddenly, the Kiwis – who missed a medal at this year’s World Cup after Nweke was ruled out and lost the first Constellation Test in Melbourne on Thursday night 50-40 without her – were in the game after being well and truly outclassed in the first.
Going toe-to-toe with a fired-up Courtney Bruce, Nweke was strong under the post from the outset, pulling in every ball her feeders suddenly felt free to let fly.
She shot 9/10, putting the margin back to five by the main break. She drew some questionable whistle and finished with two contacts, a lot for a shooter in a single stanza.
On managed minutes, Nweke went to the bench for the third. With Walmsley back at shooter, the Ferns recorded just nine, to the Diamonds’ 13, making it a nine-goal difference at the last break.
In the last, the shooter switch happened again, as did the scoreline trend, with both sides scoring 14; Nweke was responsible for 12 for the Ferns. She finished with 21/24, three rebounds and four turnovers.
In a sport that prides itself on not being “single-star-centric”, it’s abundantly clear that New Zealand’s fortunes in this Constellation Cup series, which Australia lead 2-0 as it heads over the ditch for another two matches, sit with Nweke.
The same goes for the Ferns’ next cycle of pinnacle events – the World Cup and Commonwealth Games.
The smile that often creeps across New Zealand coach Noeline Taurua’s face when talking about Nweke signals just what she means. She paid tribute to her charge post-game on Sunday.
“She’s actually ahead of her time [for return] and so for her to be out there and do two quarters is massive,” she said. “It showed in the books, I suppose, as to what she does and the firepower [she brings], but also how she pulls defenders on her. It’s a great start.”
Nweke’s comments gave a glimpse into a player with a sharp competitive edge, not unlike Van Dyk. She said she had been looking forward to meeting Australia – and Bruce particularly – at the World Cup.
“She’s a world-class player, so any goal shoot who gets to go up against her, you can measure your game against her. I was really excited going into the World Cup. I felt like I was in great form and really wanted to show what I could do against her,” Nweke said.
“And here, I am also equally as excited. I know that I’ve missed out on some prep and I’m kind of on the back foot, but the focus has been on my rehab and coming back to hit the court. I’m ready to tweak those little things and get that little bit better to really give her a good run.”
While it will take more than a “little” improvement for the Silver Ferns to win both of the remaining Constellation Cup Tests, in Invercargill and Auckland, if one player can do big things, it’s Grace Nweke.
