Waimarama Taumaunu

New Zealand defender who captained the Silver Ferns to the 1987 World Championships title before a distinguished career as national performance director for England and head coach of New Zealand.

Waimarama Taumaunu, of Ngāti Porou and Ngāi Tahu descent, was born on 18 October 1962 in Waipawa and raised in Tolaga Bay before her family moved to Christchurch. She debuted for the Silver Ferns in 1981 as an 18-year-old wing attack before transitioning into an outstanding defender, forming a formidable partnership with goal keeper Taini Jamison through the 1980s. Taumaunu played 77 Tests for New Zealand between 1981 and 1991, winning the 1987 Netball World Championships and captaining the side for her final three years, including the agonising 53-52 loss to Australia in the 1991 World Cup final that ended her playing career. In 1998 she took on the National Performance Director role for All England Netball, a rare offshore appointment at the time, remaining until 2003 and also serving as England's assistant coach at the 2003 World Championships. Taumaunu returned to New Zealand and became Silver Ferns assistant coach in 2008 before being promoted to head coach in 2011, a role she held until 2015, recording 36 wins from 53 matches. Since 2016 she has been Director of High Performance for Netball Central Zone, and was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2016 having already received the MBE in 1992, and was inducted into both the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame and the Māori Sports Hall of Fame.

Outstanding top-class defender known for reading the game and forming lockdown defensive partnerships

A pioneering figure across playing, coaching and administration, credited with helping build modern coaching structures in both New Zealand and England

• World Netball Championships Gold 1987
• Captained the Silver Ferns 1989-1991
• National Performance Director, All England Netball (1998-2003)
• MBE (1992), ONZM (2016)