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 March 2026, England are ranked third 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.
Tournaments Place1963 World Netball Championships1967 World Netball Championships4th 1971 World Netball Championships1975 World Netball Championships1979 World Netball Championships4th 1983 World Netball Championships4th 1987 World Netball Championships4th 1991 World Netball Championships4th 1995 World Netball Championships4th 1999 World Netball Championships2003 World Netball Championships4th 2007 World Netball Championships4th 2011 World Netball Championships2015 Netball World Cup2019 Netball World Cup2023 Netball World Cup
World Games Between 1985 and 1993, England competed at the World Games.
Tournaments Place1985 World Games4th1989 World Games1993 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.
Tournaments Place1998 Commonwealth Games2002 Commonwealth Games4th 2006 Commonwealth Games2010 Commonwealth Games2014 Commonwealth Games4th 2018 Commonwealth Games2022 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.
Tournaments Place2008 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd2011 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd2014 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd2017 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd2020 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd2021 Taini Jamison Trophy Series1st2023 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2nd2024 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.
Tournaments Place2012 Netball Quad Series3rd2016 Netball Quad Series3rd2017 Netball Quad Series (January/February)3rd2017 Netball Quad Series (August/September)3rd2018 Netball Quad Series (January)2nd 2018 Netball Quad Series (September)2nd 2019 Netball Quad Series2nd 2020 Netball Nations Cup3rd2022 Netball Quad Series2nd 2023 Netball Quad Series3rd2024 Netball Nations Cup2nd2025 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.
Tournaments Place2009 World Netball Series4th2010 World Netball Series2011 World Netball Series2012 Fast5 Netball World Series 2013 Fast5 Netball World Series6th 2014 Fast5 Netball World Series2016 Fast5 Netball World Series4th2017 Fast5 Netball World Series 2018 Fast5 Netball World Series5th2022 Fast5 Netball World Series4th2023 Fast5 Netball World Series2024 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.
Tournaments Place1998 FENA Open1999 FENA Open2000 FENA Open2001 FENA Open2nd2002 FENA Open2003 FENA Open2004 FENA Open2005 FENA Open2006 FENA Open2007 FENA Open2008 FENA Open2009 Netball Europe Open Championships2010 Netball Europe Open Championships2011 Netball Europe Open Championships2012 Netball Europe Open Championships2013 Netball Europe Open Championships 2015 Netball Europe Open Championships2016 Netball Europe Open Championships2017 Netball Europe Open Championships2019 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 CaptainsTournamentsJade Clarke2011 World Netball SeriesAma Agbeze2017 Fast5 Netball World Series2018 Commonwealth GamesSerena Guthrie2021 Taini Jamison Trophy SeriesFran Williams2024 Taini Jamison Trophy Series2025 Netball Nations Cup
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.
PlayerAppearancesYearsAma Agbeze 2001–Eboni Beckford-Chambers1162008–2022Jade Clarke2082003–Beth Cobden352016–Kadeen Corbin722011–2021Jodie Gibson252013–Serena Guthrie1102008–2022Joanne Harten1172007–2023Natalie Haythornthwaite862015–Helen Housby1022014–Geva Mentor1752001–2023Chelsea Pitman522017–2023
Head coaches Coach YearsRena Stratford1956Ellen Marsh1963Mary French1967–1975Joyce Wheeler1979Irene Beagles1983Gerry Cornwell1985Heather Crouch1985–1987Betty Galsworthy1989–1991Liz Broomhead1993–1995Mary Beardwood1998–1999Julie Hoornweg1999–2002Lyn Gunson2002–2003Margaret Caldow2004–2007Sue Hawkins2007–2011Maggie Jackson2010Colette Thomson2011Anna Mayes2011–2015Tracey Neville2015–2019Jess Thirlby2019–2025Liana Leota2023Anna Mayes2025-
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 Netball Europe Open Championships 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
References
External links Official Website Our Netball History – Celebrating England's Netball Heritage