From the team that helped launch her career as an international player, Liana Leota will reconnect with Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse as assistant coach for the 2026 ANZ Premiership netball season.

Leota will join third-term head coach Anna Andrews-Tasola as the brains trust behind shaping a new-look Pulse team for the new season.

The creative and twinkle-toed former midcourter, who played 41 tests for the Silver Ferns between 2008-15, has, in recent years, forged a blossoming resume in plying her trade from the sidelines as a coach.

That all began in England, when Manchester became home after husband Johnny, a former Highlanders and Manawatū centre, spent 11 years with the Sale Sharks rugby team in the England premiership.

In that time, Leota played netball for Manchester Thunder and Severn Stars before moving into the coaching role at Leeds Rhinos in the UK Super League once her playing days in New Zealand had ended.

In 2021, she joined the England Roses as a technical coach and in 2023 had her first stint as an international head coach when being at the helm for England in the three-test Taini Jamison Trophy series in New Zealand.

Drawn home earlier this year, Leota spent the recent ANZ Premiership season as assistant coach with another of her former teams, the Steel, and is currently interim assistant coach of the Silver Ferns, but ultimately wanted to be closer to her family base in Palmerston North.

``Coming back from England and going down to Steel, I went by myself,’’ she said.

``My children were based in Palmerston North with my family and my husband’s family and I think just having both parents away – Johnny’s still in England and I was in Invercargill – which was hard on our children, so the decision to go home was simple, that they needed a parent around them and for me, that meant looking at other opportunities.

``The Steel holds a huge place in my heart but also, Pulse does too. It’s where I grew up, it’s the pathway that gave me the opportunity to become a Silver Fern, so I’m just grateful for the opportunity that Pulse had a space there and were keen to have me on board.’’

With a relaxation of the rules in allowing Silver Ferns to play in off-shore leagues, the Pulse have lost a raft of players, Leota, however, excited by the challenge of helping build a new team with the mix of fresh talent that has been selected.

``Having that blank canvas is always a luxury,’’ she said. ``You’re able to set styles and brands of playing, so I’m really looking forward to that and being able to teach them a different way of playing.

``Obviously, I was born and raised in New Zealand but learnt the international game over the last four years, and definitely see things very differently, so just being able to start fresh and hopefully stamp my mark on them.

``Building a new team can be easier, I’ve done it a couple of times, you’re able to influence more and add more impact, so I’m definitely looking forward to that side of it.’’

Splitting her time between New Zealand and England for the last four years of her Silver Ferns career, Manchester became home in 2015, but after a whirlwind few months of returning to her roots, Leota has been in hot demand and enjoying every moment.

``I love being home with my family,’’ she said. ``We’ve been away for 14 years, so there’s definitely that sense of belonging and connection to whanau, and for my children that has been huge. Our kids love New Zealand, being around family and the lifestyle’’

The Leota’s have five children, Brooklyn, 22, Torres 12 (their only son), Karney, 10, Frankie, nine, and Mika, eight. 

The Pulse would like to acknowledge the valuable contribution of Kim Howard during her time as assistant coach in the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Howard is stepping away to focus on her role as Director of Co-Curricular Activities at Scots College, in Wellington, while continuing to contribute to netball in the community space.




Ends
 

For media enquiries and interview requests, please contact:

 Jane Hunt | Media & Communications Manager 
E: jane_hunt@xtra.co.nz 
T: +64 21 107 0287

Article added: Tuesday 04 November 2025