Diamonds eager to snap losing run

The Diamonds take to the court in Auckland on Wednesday night with not just their Constellation Cup defence on the line.

The Australian netball team's mental stranglehold, earned through years of domination over the Silver Ferns, is also at risk.

Back-to-back losses for Lisa Alexander's side - in the World Cup final and game one of the Cup on Sunday in Christchurch - puts them on shaky ground as the world's best team.

Despite a 28-4 win-loss record dating back to the start of the 2017 Constellation Cup, Alexander acknowledged her team was under pressure to show they can produce in big games.

Which is why she's delighted that game two of the four-Test series will put her team under the blowtorch.

"Absolutely yes. We have to get on top of it," she said.

"You have to admire the efforts of a team that gets within one goal. That means they gave everything.

"But they didn't quite get there ... we're very close but we've all individually got to take responsibility for taking that next step, and you know, this is our chance to do that."

The Diamonds boasted a five-point lead in the third quarter only to lose to Noeline Taurua's world champions.

Alexander said she would change up her starting seven to face New Zealand for one reason: "We didn't win".

"We just start like losing, we're not used to it and we don't lose much," she said.

"We've got a winning culture and I can tell you all the Diamonds ex-players back home don't like it.

"We were ahead and we should have closed the game out but credit to the Silver Ferns. They did a great job."

In Auckland, Alexander will celebrate her 100th match at the helm of the Diamonds in what is coincidentally the 150th meeting between the trans-Tasman rivals.

Taurua said her side "took a lot of confidence" from the comeback win in Christchurch but New Zealand were still firmly underdogs.

"I don't think we can get the cake out and ice it already," she said.

"We're definitely giving respect to the opposition knowing that how massively, historically, they've been able to be successful from one game to another."

Taurua said she would resist rotation and line up with a stable side.

Wing attack Gina Crampton will miss game two after her knee sprain with a medical assessment to determine whether she travels to Australia for the final matches in Sydney and Perth.