New Zealand netball coach Noeline Taurua has confirmed she will remain at the helm of the Silver Ferns for the Constellation Cup series against Australia in October.
Photo: Photosport
And it seems Taurua let the cat out of the bag yesterday, a little earlier than Netball New Zealand expected.
Netball NZ has sent out a media advisory to say there will be a "major announcement" tomorrow at 2:30pm but they won't make any comment until then.
The Sunshine Coast Lightning, who Taurua coaches in the Australian league, are also making a "major club announcement" at the exact same time.
Taurua says for now her focus remains on claiming a third successive Super Netball crown - followed by a well-earned break.
Taurua was named as head coach of the Silver Ferns last August, just days after claiming back-to-back national league titles with the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
After missing out on the top job in previous years, Taurua answered the call following Janine Southby's resignation after New Zealand failed to medal at the Commonwealth Games.
In the space of 11 months, Taurua engineered a remarkable turnaround to guide her nation to a memorable 52-51 triumph over Australia in last month's World Cup final in England.
Speaking after the Lightning's nail-biting win over the Melbourne Vixens yesterday, Taurua confirmed she will remain in charge of the world champions for the annual test series against the Diamonds.
However, her involvement with the national team beyond that is still up in the air.
"I'm coaching to the end of this year and then working through...what happens next," Taurua said.
But Taurua has yet to enquire about the availability of her World Cup-winning players, including veterans Maria Folau, Laura Langman and Casey Kopua, for the rematch with their trans-Tasman rivals.
"To be honest, we've sort of kept our head down, bum up," Taurua said of her squad since their success in Liverpool.
"I know this sounds terrible but I haven't been in touch in that respect as to what people are doing.
"Some of the other players are in other teams and it's just not the right timing for me to go in there and ask those questions.
"It will all come out on the mix when it's ready but it's not going to be from me."
While her future with the national team has yet to determined, Taurua has clear plans once the Lightning's finals campaign has concluded.
"What I definitely know at this stage, and I can put my hand to my heart and say that I'm having a holiday at the end of (Super Netball).
"It's come to a time where I really do need to pull off because I've been running hard for about the last two years.
"From there, I'll get a better understanding of what I need to do next so that's definitely a commitment that I'm making."
- AAP/RNZ
