Glasgow 1987

Seven players of the squad that lost in 1973 were back, with an opportunity at redemption. One of those was the captain, Leigh Gibbs: “We were bitterly disappointed to lose in Singapore, there was a sense that if we get the chance again, this wasn’t going to be how we feel”.

Gibbs reflects that leading up to the tournament, New Zealand didn’t have the best of years. “Nineteen eighty-six had been a terrible year.

“We had a Test Series between Jamaica and Australia and ourselves, we got beaten.

“We received a lot of media flack and there was very public comment and criticism.”

Ultimately, the Silver Ferns achieved that redemption and would go on through the tournament unbeaten, with no team getting within 10 goals of them throughout the entire competition.

This was Dame Lois Muir’s 4^th and final time coaching the Silver Ferns at the event, which still remains the record number of times that anybody has coached New Zealand at the competition.

Following her retirement in 1988, Dame Lois continued her involvement in the sport as a coaching director, team mentor before later becoming the President of Netball New Zealand. Dame Lois was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and was appointed as a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition of services to sports administration and netball in 2004.