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Silver Ferns arrive home with plans for sleep, family time and viewing of World Cup replay

July 24, 2019

Shooter Ameliaranne Ekenasio said the result still feels surreal.

The first group of Silver Ferns have safely arrived home with the World Cup trophy in hand after their triumphant campaign in Liverpool.

Players such as Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Jane Watson and Phoenix Karaka arrived at Auckland international Airport this morning after a long flight back from the UK.

Ekenasio told TVNZ1’s Breakfast she’s looking forward to catching up on some sleep now that she’s home.

“We just couldn’t wait to get home and celebrate with our families and all those people that really matter,” Ekenasio said.

“I just can’t wait to get home to my kids. I’ve spent like, six or seven weeks away from my kids pretty much so I just can’t wait to get home. I’ll probably sleep for a week and probably watch the game too – I haven’t even watched the game yet!”

The netball star spoke with Seven Sharp as she travelled on the team bus from Liverpool to London.

The shooter added the win still felt surreal two days later especially after the disappointment of the 2018 Commonwealth Games but four members of the squad played key roles in the turnaround.

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Ekenasio said coach Noeline Taurua along with veterans Laura Langman, Casey Kopua and Maria Folau were pivotal.

The self-proclaimed "fossils" are happy to hang up the black dress on the ultimate high.

“I just have to credit Noeline for so much of it,” she said.

“The culture she’s created and bred within us has been amazing and to get us all performing at our peak is wonderful too.

“But I think a huge amount has to go to our three leaders – they’ve done so much work and they are so much of us and we were willing to give so much to them.

“It’s worlds between from Comm Games to now and it just shows how important all that stuff really is.”

The coach and three self-proclaimed “fossils” are yet to arrive back in New Zealand with Taurua, Langman and Folau all back in Australia to resume their duties in domestic competition.

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