Casey Kopua

Long-serving New Zealand defender and Silver Ferns captain who won the 2019 Netball World Cup and was inducted into the Netball NZ Hall of Fame in 2024.

Casey May Kopua (née Williams) was born on 19 June 1985. She made her Silver Ferns debut in 2005 against Barbados and quickly established herself as one of the finest in-circle defenders in the world, winning Commonwealth Games gold in 2006 and 2010 — the latter an 84-minute overtime epic against Australia, the longest official netball match at the time. Kopua became the 23rd captain of the Silver Ferns in 2009 and went on to captain the side a record 62 times, surpassing Lyn Gunson's long-standing mark. She led New Zealand to a Commonwealth Games silver in 2014, and reached World Cup finals in 2007, 2011 and 2015 without winning the title, each time finishing runner-up to Australia. In 2015 she recovered from a serious knee injury to lead the Silver Ferns at the World Cup in Sydney, becoming the sixth Silver Fern to reach 100 Test caps. Kopua retired from international netball in 2017, but was coaxed back by coach Noeline Taurua for one final campaign at the 2019 Netball World Cup — finally winning the title that had eluded her three times, and being named player of the match in the final. She retired from all netball with 112 Test caps after an 18-year career, and was an inaugural inductee into the Netball New Zealand Hall of Fame in 2024. She has continued to play in emergency comebacks, including for Giants Netball in 2025 and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in 2026, across a domestic career spanning 17 seasons and 186 games for the Magic alone.

Relentless, aerially strong in-circle defender renowned for exceptional work ethic and calm leadership

Regarded as one of the finest defenders and most respected leaders in Silver Ferns history

• 2019 Netball World Cup gold
• 2006 & 2010 Commonwealth Games gold
• ONZM 2011
• Netball NZ Hall of Fame 2024