Laura Langman, Casey Kopua and Maria Folau won the fairy tale ending with Silver Ferns

Most thought their opportunity had long pbaded them.

Laura Langman, Maria Folau, and Casey Kopua – Silver Ferns numbers 133, 134, and 135. All considered as only once-in-a-generation players, who by some marvelous quirk of kismet, have coincided in the same generation .

They were all teenagers when they debuted in 2005, each ambading over 100 caps for New Zealand. They have helped orchestrate famous victories over Australia, have won two consecutive gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, broken records and claimed legendary status in the sport a long time ago.

The only victory on their sparkling resume was a World Cup victory. Until Monday.

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In the chaos of the emotional scenes that erupted after the final whistle of the magnificent victory of a Silver Ferns goal on Australia in the World Cup final, three images stand out.

The absolute joy of Folau's face, which immediately burst into tears and kissed her teammates while the weather was called for a drought of 16 years for the Ferns.

An exhausted Kopua, who had left everything on the court, in front of the post-game interview with his daughter Maia at the hip. Maia seemed to enjoy the result of her mother's work, licking sweat from Kopua's shoulder.

And team captain, Laura Langman, radiant as she made her way to the podium to see herself present at the World Cup and an awkward embrace of INF President Molly. Rhone. It was also appropriate that after keeping the loot in the air, Langman had propelled the trophy into the hands of Kopua and Folau.

Beside the Ferns in the post-match checkups, there was a dazed Australian roster – many of them competing for their first world cup – barely able to conceal their tears when they got themselves up. are seen delivering their silver medals.

Langman, Kopua and Folau know this feeling. They have been there three times before.

The trio was still new in training when he won the first match of the World Cup in 2007 (for which, as we have already mentioned 700 times in the last 10 days, Jamie Lee Lee was the mid-runner flag). The three men played in the final against Australia and started the World Cup against a powerful diamond formation led by Liz Ellis.

Four years later, they reached their peak when the Ferns missed the world title after their terrible defeat against Australia in overtime.

The 2015 World Cup in Sydney was probably the latest throw for them. Once again, they failed in Australia.

The three wonders of Netballing New Zealand seem ready to close their international career without a title of world champion to their credit.

Kopua, the Ferns' defensive warrior who had given her everything – including a patellar tendon and most of her ankle ligaments – to black dress, then announced that she was retiring from international netball after the birth of his daughter Maia in 2016, which led her to re-evaluate her priorities.

Langman, who had recorded a record 135 consecutive tests, was thrown into the desert by a Netball NZ saying that prevented him from being part of the national team after signing a contract in Australia.

Folau, who had valiantly worn the New Zealand shooting circle since the retirement of Irene van Dyk, was beginning to look like an exhausted force. With a series of foot and knee injuries keeping her off for a good part of the 2016 and 2017 seasons, it was unlikely that she would have another World Cup in it.

But when Taurua (who needs a tribute to fully recognize the impact it has had on this team) received the reins of the Silver Ferns following a brutal overhaul of the national program, which culminated in a fourth place at the Commonwealth Games last year, it's those three that she turned to.

She demanded that Netball NZ grant Langman an exemption to participate in the Australian competition and attracted Kopua – still New Zealand's most influential defender in the national league – in international retirement for a final round in fame.

Many have questioned the wisdom of turning to the past.

Langman, Kopua and Folau have fortunately had their senior status. The nickname of the trio in the team became fossils and together they solidified this team.

They have adopted an uncompromising attitude and no compromise to the environment. They brought confidence. They brought mana. They brought the fight.

This obstinacy was within everyone's reach during Monday's final. Given the condensed format of the tournament, in which the teams play eight games over 10 days, including a semifinal and a consecutive final, the World Cup finals usually do not tend to produce the best net ball .

It takes courage and courage to win a World Cup final.

There were no interceptions or blocks of Kopua in this game. She had to fight for leftovers – jumping on loose balls, challenging every rebound and trying to disrupt the flow of the ball in the Australian shooter Caitlin Bbadett hoping to make the stop that counts. That stop came nine minutes from the end of the allotted time and Kopua called for an interception on the baseline, getting Bbadett's ball to stop a push from the Diamonds.

The energetic Langman exerted a constant influence in the midfield. She danced and pioneered her way around the field to make sure she was available for each ball. His patience at the attack is what settled the ferns in these last heartbreaking minutes.

Folau, unusually fragile in the first quarter, found his pace and more space to move as the game unfolded, forcing a change of Australian defender at halftime. But perhaps the greatest testimony to Folau's growth as a player was her way of working for Ameliaranne Ekenasio in the shooting circle.

It was a striking final act for their career.

Kopua reported long ago that this would be his last campaign for the Silver Ferns. For real this time.

Langman and Folau also suggested that the end is near. The temptation for these players must surely be to finish on this note. The ultimate end for the ultimate servants of the game

Their story is just one of the many fascinating stories of this Silver Ferns team. Others also deserve generous applause.

Like Katrina Rore, who became the dark face of the failure of the Ferns Commonwealth Games last year.

She has returned twice to this team. First, she is back in training after a shock at the beginning of the year. Then she had to face a race to prove that she was fit after catching a strain of calf in a brutal World Cup pre-training camp last month.

Then there is Ekenasio and Jane Watson, who announced their arrival as real stars on the world stage at this tournament.

Or the redemption of players like Shannon Saunders and Bailey Mes.

But history will remember this game as the final and triumphant act of the historic career of the "Big Three".

No player was owed a gold medal. No team is "due" to a world title.

They had to go out and take it for themselves.

Monday morning, Langman, Kopua and Folau led the way in what was a fearless, uncompromising and daring total performance of the Silver Ferns.

And that will ultimately be their legacy.