The Australian Diamonds are relishing the challenge of saving the Constellation Cup series against the Silver Ferns in Auckland tomorrow night.

After dropping the opening thriller 54-52 in Melbourne, the Diamonds need to win tomorrow to stay alive and force a decider for Sunday's third test in Christchurch.

There was the usual confidence in the Australian camp as they weighed up that prospect.

“Definitely it's a challenge, but we love those challenges," Australian captain Natalie von Bertouch said as her team hit the training court in Auckland.

“That's why we play netball - to challenge ourselves and see ways that we can improve and do it under the hardest circumstance.

“It doesn't matter, it's still the same court, it's still the same dimensions, I guess we just don't have the crowd on our side.”

Von Bertouch felt her side were starting to find their rhythm late in the Melbourne loss. “I think towards the end of the game we started to build the intensity and that's when we put the pressure on them.

"We need to generate that earlier than the last quarter, we've got ways to do that going forward and we'll be making those adjustments.”

Australian coach Lisa Alexander echoed that confidence: "Absolutely, we know that it doesn't matter where we play. If we are really focused on what we need to do, we can get two wins away from home."

Alexander is putting pressure on her shooting department to improve.

Australia had a 79 per cent scoring effort in Melbourne on Sunday, compared with New Zealand's 93 per cent accuracy.

- © Fairfax NZ News