She played five international matches for the New Zealand team at the 1963 World Netball Championships, where they finished second to Australia.

Simpson was born Elva Violet Tait in Dunedin on 6 November 1936.

[6] and in 1954 she was named as an emergency in the South Island team for the inter-island match at the conclusion of the New Zealand national netball championships.

[8][9] Simpson was a member of the New Zealand team at the inaugural World Netball Championships at Eastbourne, England, in 1963, making her debut in the first-round match against Northern Ireland.

[10] Simpson was a member of a team consisting of players from Otago and Southland at the Golden Oldies World Netball Festivals in 1984 in Auckland, and 1988 in Brisbane.