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 1 June 2025, England are ranked fourth in the World Netball Rankings.

History

Early tests

England made their Test debut on 7 May 1949 with 25–3 win over Scotland. The match was played at the General Electric Company ground on Preston Road, Wembley during the 1949 England Scotland Wales Netball Series. England also played Wales for the first time on the same day, again winning 25–3. 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.

World Netball Rankings

Between 2008 and 2018, England were regularly ranked number three in the World Netball Rankings, behind Australia and New Zealand. In May 2018, after winning gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, they initially remained at number three. However in July 2018, they moved up to number two. This saw England became the first team to be ranked in the top two apart from Australia and New Zealand. After finishing as runners up at the 2019 Netball Quad Series and defeating both Australia and New Zealand, England returned to the number two position. In October 2024, England were ranked number two for a third time after defeating Australia in Australia during their 2024 series and then winning the 2024 Taini Jamison Trophy Series. As of 1 June 2025, England are ranked fourth in the World Netball Rankings.

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.
TournamentsPlace
1963 World Netball Championships
1967 World Netball Championships4th
1971 World Netball Championships
1975 World Netball Championships
1979 World Netball Championships4th
1983 World Netball Championships4th
1987 World Netball Championships4th
1991 World Netball Championships4th
1995 World Netball Championships4th
1999 World Netball Championships
2003 World Netball Championships4th
2007 World Netball Championships4th
2011 World Netball Championships
2015 Netball World Cup
2019 Netball World Cup
2023 Netball World Cup

World Games

Between 1985 and 1993, England competed at the World Games.
TournamentsPlace
1985 World Games4th
1989 World Games
1993 World Games4th

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.
TournamentsPlace
1998 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games4th
2006 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
2014 Commonwealth Games4th
2018 Commonwealth Games
2022 Commonwealth Games4th

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.
TournamentsPlace
2008 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd
2011 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd
2014 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd
2017 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd
2020 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd
2021 Taini Jamison Trophy Series1st
2023 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd
2024 Taini Jamison Trophy Series1st

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.
TournamentsPlace
2012 Netball Quad Series3rd
2016 Netball Quad Series3rd
2017 Netball Quad Series 3rd
2017 Netball Quad Series 3rd
2018 Netball Quad Series 2nd
2018 Netball Quad Series 2nd
2019 Netball Quad Series2nd
2020 Netball Nations Cup3rd
2022 Netball Quad Series2nd
2023 Netball Quad Series3rd
2024 Netball Nations Cup2nd
2025 Netball Nations Cup1st

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, 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.
TournamentsPlace
2009 World Netball Series4th
2010 World Netball Series
2011 World Netball Series
2012 Fast5 Netball World Series
2013 Fast5 Netball World Series6th
2014 Fast5 Netball World Series
2016 Fast5 Netball World Series4th
2017 Fast5 Netball World Series
2018 Fast5 Netball World Series5th
2022 Fast5 Netball World Series4th
2023 Fast5 Netball World Series
2024 Fast5 Netball World Series5th

Netball Europe Open Championships

England have regularly played in the Netball Europe Open Championships, playing against teams such as Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. England are the competition's most successful team.
TournamentsPlace
1998 FENA Open
1999 FENA Open
2000 FENA Open
2001 FENA Open2nd
2002 FENA Open
2003 FENA Open
2004 FENA Open
2005 FENA Open
2006 FENA Open
2007 FENA Open
2008 FENA Open
2009 Netball Europe Open Championships
2010 Netball Europe Open Championships
2011 Netball Europe Open Championships
2012 Netball Europe Open Championships
2013 Netball Europe Open Championships
2015 Netball Europe Open Championships
2016 Netball Europe Open Championships
2017 Netball Europe Open Championships
2019 Netball Europe Open Championships

Notable players

Current squad

Notable past players

England Netball's Hall of Fame

The following England netball internationals have been inducted into England Netball's Hall of Fame.

Tournament winning captains

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.
PlayerAppearancesYears
Ama Agbeze2001–
Eboni Beckford-Chambers1162008–2022
Jade Clarke2082003–
Beth Cobden352016–
Kadeen Corbin722011–2021
Jodie Gibson252013–
Serena Guthrie1102008–2022
Joanne Harten1172007–2023
Natalie Haythornthwaite862015–
Helen Housby1022014–
Geva Mentor1752001–2023
Chelsea Pitman522017–2023