# England national netball team

The England national netball team, also known as the Vitality Roses, represent England Netball in international netball tournaments such as the Netball World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the Netball Quad Series, the Taini Jamison Trophy, the Fast5 Netball World Series and the European Netball Championship. They have also competed at the World Games. England made their Test debut in 1949. Their best result in a major tournament is a gold medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. As of 17 October 2024, England are ranked second in the World Netball Rankings.

## History
### Early tests

England made their Test debut on 7 May 1949 during a series that also featured Scotland and Wales. Both matches were played at the General Electric Company ground on Preston Road, Wembley. England won both matches 25–3. The match against Scotland is believed to be England's first international. In 1954, England played Northern Ireland for the first time. On 12 May 1956, England hosted a touring Australia. It was the first time England played an overseas team. Australia won 14–11 at Harringay Arena before a crowd of more than 5,000. Later in 1956, England played an away series against South Africa, winning all three tests.

## Tournament history
### Netball World Cup

England have competed at every World Netball Championships and/or Netball World Cup since the inaugural 1963 tournament. Their best performances have been in 1975 and 2023 when on both occasions they finished second.
| Tournaments | Place |
| 1963 World Netball Championships | |
| 1967 World Netball Championships | 4th |
| 1971 World Netball Championships | |
| 1975 World Netball Championships | |
| 1979 World Netball Championships | 4th |
| 1983 World Netball Championships | 4th |
| 1987 World Netball Championships | 4th |
| 1991 World Netball Championships | 4th |
| 1995 World Netball Championships | 4th |
| 1999 World Netball Championships | |
| 2003 World Netball Championships | 4th |
| 2007 World Netball Championships | 4th |
| 2011 World Netball Championships | |
| 2015 Netball World Cup | |
| 2019 Netball World Cup | |
| 2023 Netball World Cup | |
Source:

### World Games

Between 1985 and 1993, England competed at the World Games.
| Tournaments | Place |
| 1985 World Games | 4th |
| 1989 World Games | |
| 1993 World Games | 4th |
Source:

### Commonwealth Games

England have competed at every netball tournament at the Commonwealth Games. Between 1998 and 2014, Australia and New Zealand contested every final and won every gold and silver medal between them. However, in 2018, England caused a major surprise when, with a team coached by Tracey Neville and captained by Ama Agbeze, they defeated Australia in the final. Helen Housby scored in the final second to give England a 52–51 victory. As a result England became only the third team to both reach the final and win the gold medal. At the 2018 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards, England's last second win over Australia was voted sporting moment of the year. England were also named Team of the Year.
| Tournaments | Place |
| 1998 Commonwealth Games | |
| 2002 Commonwealth Games | 4th |
| 2006 Commonwealth Games | |
| 2010 Commonwealth Games | |
| 2014 Commonwealth Games | 4th |
| 2018 Commonwealth Games | |
| 2022 Commonwealth Games | 4th |
Sources:

### Taini Jamison Trophy

Since 2008, Netball New Zealand has hosted the Taini Jamison Trophy series. The series features New Zealand playing against visiting teams. England competed in the inaugural 2008 series and have been regular participants ever since. In 2021, they won the series for the first time. It was the first time that England had won a series in New Zealand. The England team were coached by Jess Thirlby and captained by Serena Guthrie.
In 2024, England won the series for a second time. The team was again coached by Thirlby and this time captained by Fran Williams.
| Tournaments | Place |
| 2008 Taini Jamison Trophy Series | 2nd |
| 2011 Taini Jamison Trophy Series | 2nd |
| 2014 Taini Jamison Trophy Series | 2nd |
| 2017 Taini Jamison Trophy Series | 2nd |
| 2020 Taini Jamison Trophy Series | 2nd |
| 2021 Taini Jamison Trophy Series | 1st |
| 2023 Taini Jamison Trophy Series | 2nd |
| 2024 Taini Jamison Trophy Series | 1st |

### Netball Quad Series/Nations Cup

Since 2012, England have competed in the Netball Quad Series, playing against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In 2025, with a team coached by Jess Thirlby and captained by Fran Williams, England won the series for the first time after defeating South Africa 61–55 in the final. It proved sixth time lucky for England. Since the Nations Cup/Quad Series was established in 2012, England had finished as runners up five times.
| Tournaments | Place |
| 2012 Netball Quad Series | 3rd |
| 2016 Netball Quad Series | 3rd |
| 2017 Netball Quad Series (January/February) | 3rd |
| 2017 Netball Quad Series (August/September) | 3rd |
| 2018 Netball Quad Series (January) | 2nd |
| 2018 Netball Quad Series (September) | 2nd |
| 2019 Netball Quad Series | 2nd |
| 2020 Netball Nations Cup | 3rd |
| 2022 Netball Quad Series | 2nd |
| 2023 Netball Quad Series | 3rd |
| 2024 Netball Nations Cup | 2nd |
| 2025 Netball Nations Cup | 1st |

### Fast5 Netball World Series

Since 2009, England have played in the Fast5 Netball World Series. In 2011, with a team coached by Anna Mayes and captained by Jade Clarke, England defeated New Zealand 33–26 in the final to win their first major tournament. In 2017 Fast5 Netball World Series, with a team coached by Tracey Neville and captained by Ama Agbeze, England won the series for a second time. In the final they defeated Jamaica 34–29.
| Tournaments | Place |
| 2009 World Netball Series | 4th |
| 2010 World Netball Series | |
| 2011 World Netball Series | |
| 2012 Fast5 Netball World Series | |
| 2013 Fast5 Netball World Series | 6th |
| 2014 Fast5 Netball World Series | |
| 2016 Fast5 Netball World Series | 4th |
| 2017 Fast5 Netball World Series | |
| 2018 Fast5 Netball World Series | 5th |
| 2022 Fast5 Netball World Series | 4th |
| 2023 Fast5 Netball World Series | |
| 2024 Fast5 Netball World Series | 5th |

### European Netball Championship

England have regularly played in the European Netball Championship, playing against teams such as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. England are the competition's most successful team.
* Tournaments
* 2005 European Netball Championship
* 2006 European Netball Championship
* 2007 European Netball Championship
* 2008 European Netball Championship
* 2009 European Netball Championship
* 2010 European Netball Championship
* 2011 European Netball Championship
* 2012 European Netball Championship
* 2013 European Netball Championship
* 2015 European Netball Championship
* 2016 European Netball Championship
* 2017 European Netball Championship
* 2019 European Netball Championship
Source:

## Notable players
### Current squad

The current squad was selected for the 2024 Taini Jamison Trophy Series.
Sources:

### Notable past players
#### England Netball's Hall of Fame

The following England netball internationals have been inducted into England Netball's Hall of Fame.
| Inducted | Player | Appearances | Years |
| 2001 | Mary Thomas | | 1948 |
| 2001 | Kendra Slawinski | 128 | 1983–1995 |
| 2001 | Mary French | | 1949–1957 |
| 2005 | Anne Stephenson | | 1960s |
| 2007 | Colette Thomson | 89 | 1975–198x |
| 2008 | Amanda Newton | 100 | 1996–2008 |
| 2009 | Karen Atkinson | 100 | 1997–2011 |
| 2013 | Sonia Mkoloma | 123 | 1999–2015 |
| 2014 | Jade Clarke | 208 | 2003– |
| 2015 | Pamela Cookey | 114 | 2004–2015 |
| 2015 | Geva Mentor | 175 | 2001–2023 |
| 2018 | Olivia Murphy | 95 | 1997–2006 |
| 2018 | Tracey Neville | 81 | 1996–2008 |
| 2018 | Ama Agbeze | | 2001– |
| 2020 | Eboni Usoro-Brown | 116 | 2008–2022 |
| 2020 | Joanne Harten | 117 | 2007–2023 |
| 2020 | Maggie Jackson | | 1984–1987 |
Sources:

#### Tournament winning captains

| Captains | Tournaments |
| Jade Clarke | 2011 World Netball Series |
| Ama Agbeze | 2017 Fast5 Netball World Series 2018 Commonwealth Games |
| Serena Guthrie | 2021 Taini Jamison Trophy Series |
| Fran Williams | 2024 Taini Jamison Trophy Series |

#### 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallists

The following England netball internationals were members of the squad that won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. At the 2018 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards, they were also named Team of the Year.
| Player | Appearances | Years |
| Ama Agbeze | | 2001– |
| Eboni Beckford-Chambers | 116 | 2008–2022 |
| Jade Clarke | 208 | 2003– |
| Beth Cobden | 35 | 2016– |
| Kadeen Corbin | 72 | 2011–2021 |
| Jodie Gibson | 25 | 2013– |
| Serena Guthrie | 110 | 2008–2022 |
| Joanne Harten | 117 | 2007–2023 |
| Natalie Haythornthwaite | 86 | 2015– |
| Helen Housby | 102 | 2014– |
| Geva Mentor | 175 | 2001–2023 |
| Chelsea Pitman | 52 | 2017–2023 |

## Head coaches

| Coach | Years |
| Rena Stratford | 1956 |
| Ellen Marsh | 1963 |
| Mary French | 1967–1975 |
| Joyce Wheeler | 1979 |
| Irene Beagles | 1983 |
| Gerry Cornwell | 1985 |
| Heather Crouch | 1985–1987 |
| Betty Galsworthy | 1989–1991 |
| Liz Broomhead | 1993–1995 |
| Mary Beardwood | 1998–1999 |
| Julie Hoornweg | 1999–2002 |
| Lyn Gunson | 2002–2003 |
| Margaret Caldow | 2004–2007 |
| Sue Hawkins | 2007–2011 |
| Maggie Jackson | 2010 |
| Collette Thomson | 2011 |
| Anna Mayes | 2011–2015 |
| Tracey Neville | 2015–2019 |
| Jess Thirlby | 2019– |
| Liana Leota | 2023 |

## Honours

* World Netball Championships/Netball World Cup
** Runners up: 1975, 2023
* Commonwealth Games
** Winners: 2018
* Taini Jamison Trophy
** Winners: 2021, 2024
** Runners Up: 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2020, 2023
* Netball Quad Series/Nations Cup
** Winners: 2025
** Runners Up: 2018 (January), 2018 (September), 2019, 2022, 2024
* Fast5 Netball World Series
** Winners: 2011, 2017
** Runners up: 2010, 2012
* European Netball Championship
** Winners: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
** Runner up: 2013
* BBC Sports Team of the Year Award
** Winners: 2018