Retiring Australian star Ash Brazill has revealed how a Helen Housby jab inspired the Diamonds to take the stunning 61-45 gold medal win at the World Cup on Monday morning.
The Diamonds made history as they claimed a remarkable 12th World Cup crown, defeating old rivals England by 16 goals.
Brazill, who had announced her retirement early in 2023 making this Netball World Cup her last ever appearance, couldn’t contain her joy at finishing her career as a world champion.
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“For that last 10 minutes I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face!” she told Fox Netball.
“Jo (Weston) was crying for the last five minutes!
“To beat England like that, they beat us in the rounds. Every one loved tagging us in what Helen said how they were fitter and how they are more energetic than us and that just got everything fighting.
“We really wanted to beat Jamaica so we could play against these guys again.
“It was some of the best netball we’ve played in a long time.”
HISTORY MADE: Diamonds deliver to claim gold over old rivals England
NEW LOW: Jamaica claim bronze as New Zealand sink to worst-ever Cup showing
Housby had claimed her side should have won by more than one goal in their earlier tournament clash on Thursday.
“In the last quarter we wanted it more. We looked like the stronger side, we looked fitter and we wanted the ball in our hands,” she said after that win.
But her Roses outfit couldn’t emulate those efforts in the final as the “wheels came off”.
Brazill’s stats may show just the one interception and three deflections for no gain in the final, but her immense pressure on Nat Metcalf forced the England skipper into a number of turnovers before she was benched late in the third term.
The wing defender was emotional as she pledged to never play netball again, given no win could top a World Cup gold.
“I’m just so proud of the girls,” she said.
“It’s taken all 12 of us to get here, the squad, the 22, all of us.
“The fact we’re standing here as world champions, I couldn’t ask for a better ending.
“I’m never playing netball against that’s for sure – how can I top this?
“To have my family in the crowd, they’ve ridden the highs and lows with me.
“All the injuries, the phone calls getting told you’re not in the Diamonds and to be standing here as a 33-year-old, a parent, living my dream of what I’ve wanted to do since I was five years old … it hasn’t sunk in yet.”
The Cape Town tournament was Brazill’s first ever World Cup, after debuting for Australia in 2015.
“Not many people get to finish their career on a high and I’m so absolutely stoked Ashleigh Brazill gets to do it because she’s an incredible human and she deserves it,” Fox Netball Caitlin Bassett praised.
“It made me quite emotional listening to her … there has been so many up and downs. The fairytale finish,” Catherine Cox added.
