England national netball team facts for kids
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| Nickname(s) | Vitality Roses The Roses |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Association | England Netball | ||
| Confederation | Netball Europe | ||
| Head coach | Jess Thirlby | ||
| Asst coach | Liana Leota | ||
| Captain | Fran Williams | ||
| Most caps | Jade Clarke (208) | ||
| World ranking | 2  |
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| First international | |||
England  25–3  ScotlandGEC Ground, Wembley, 7 May 1949 |
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| Netball World Cup | |||
| Best result | 2nd (1975, 2023) | ||
| Commonwealth Games | |||
| Appearances | 7 (Debuted in 1998) | ||
| 2022 placing | 4th | ||
| Best result | 1st (2018) | ||
The England national netball team, often called the Vitality Roses, plays for England Netball in big international netball games. They compete in tournaments like the Netball World Cup and the Commonwealth Games. They also play in the Netball Quad Series, the Taini Jamison Trophy, the Fast5 Netball World Series, and the European Netball Championship.
The team played its first official international game, called a Test, in 1949. Their biggest success was winning a gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. As of October 2024, the England team is ranked second in the world.
Contents
History of the Vitality Roses
First Games Played
England's first official netball game was on May 7, 1949. This was part of a series of games that also included teams from Scotland and Wales. Both matches were played at the General Electric Company ground in Wembley. England won both games with a score of 25–3. The game against Scotland is thought to be England's very first international match.
In 1954, England played Northern Ireland for the first time. Two years later, on May 12, 1956, England hosted the Australian team. This was the first time England played a team from outside the UK. Australia won 14–11 at Harringay Arena, with over 5,000 fans watching. Later in 1956, England traveled to play South Africa and won all three matches there.
Major Tournaments Played
Netball World Cup Achievements
The England team has played in every World Netball Championships and Netball World Cup since the first one in 1963. Their best results were finishing second in both 1975 and 2023.
| 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 | |
Commonwealth Games Success
England has played in every netball tournament at the Commonwealth Games. For many years, the finals were always between Australia and New Zealand. However, in 2018, England pulled off a huge surprise!
With Tracey Neville as coach and Ama Agbeze as captain, England beat Australia in the final. Helen Housby scored the winning goal in the very last second, making the score 52–51. This made England only the third team ever to reach the final and win the gold medal. Their amazing win was voted "Sporting Moment of the Year" at the 2018 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. The team was 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 |
Taini Jamison Trophy Wins
Since 2008, Netball New Zealand has hosted the Taini Jamison Trophy series. This series features New Zealand playing against visiting teams. England has been a regular participant since the first series in 2008.
In 2021, England won the series for the first time. This was a big achievement as it was England's first series win in New Zealand. The team was coached by Jess Thirlby and captained by Serena Guthrie. England won the series again in 2024, with Thirlby still coaching and Fran Williams as captain.
| 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 |
Fast5 Netball World Series Victories
Since 2009, England has played in the Fast5 Netball World Series. This is a faster version of netball. In 2011, England won their first major tournament in this format. The team, coached by Anna Mayes and captained by Jade Clarke, beat New Zealand 33–26 in the final.
England won the series again in 2017 Fast5 Netball World Series. This time, the team was coached by Tracey Neville and captained by Ama Agbeze. They defeated Jamaica 34–29 in the final.
| 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 | |
European Netball Championship Dominance
England has often played in the European Netball Championship. They compete against teams like Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. England is the most successful team in this competition, having won many titles.
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 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 | |
Famous Players and Coaches
England Netball's Hall of Fame
Some of England's best netball players have been honored by being added to England Netball's Hall of Fame. This is a special way to remember their amazing contributions to the sport.
| Year Inducted | Player | Appearances | Years Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Captains Who Won Tournaments
These players were captains when England won major tournaments:
| Captain | Tournament Won |
|---|---|
| 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 Medal Squad
The players listed below were part of the team that won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. This team was also named Team of the Year at the 2018 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards.
| Player | Appearances | Years Played |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Through the Years
Many different coaches have led the England netball team over the years. Here are some of them:
| 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 |
Team Honours and Awards
- World Netball Championships/Netball World Cup
- Second Place: 1975, 2023
- Commonwealth Games
- Winners: 2018
- Taini Jamison Trophy
- Winners: 2021, 2024
- Second Place: 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2020, 2023
- Netball Quad Series/Nations Cup
- Second Place: 2018 (January), 2018 (September), 2019, 2022, 2024
- Fast5 Netball World Series
- Winners: 2011, 2017
- Second Place: 2010, 2012
- European Netball Championship
- Winners: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
- Second Place: 2013
- BBC Sports Team of the Year Award
- Winners: 2018
