Vitality Netball Nations Cup 2025: Jess Thirlby says the English team that everyone wants to win | Netball News
Jess Thirlby warned her players in England that they are a team that everyone wants to win in Netball Nations Cup, live Sky SportsAnd they ‘have to work super hard’ to ensure a trophy.
England Kickstart Campaign to Buy Nations against World No 7 Team Malawi on Saturday 1 February, Live on Sky Sportswhile the tournament includes both South Africa and Uganda.
Roses Vitality impressed last year, beating World No 1 Australia for the third time in September, but – with each side closely positioned on the world rankings – winning the Cup nation will not be an easy feat.
The main coach of England Thirlby emphasized the obstacles to confront her team, including without injured key players Helen Housby, Eleanor Cardwell, Nat Metcalf and Lois Pearson.
“We are the team they want to win to get some points and move themselves, so they will be hot on their heels, I have no doubt about it,” said Thirlby, who called Emma Thacker from England and to replace Pearson. “We will have to work hard to get over the line.
“It is so important at the moment that we stay, however clichened, in the process and helping to prepare a team for three very different challenges in fast succession.
“We seek consistency and this gives us a good opportunity to consolidate the difference between ranking in that four and lower.
“We really want to try and imprint our authority on this and create a great gap between those nations that are below us and where we see that we need to go.”
England fought strongly in Australia, eventually suffered a 2-1 defeat after a decisive loss of 69-56, and Thrlby took a lot of positive results from the appearance on his team against the world elite team.
“We bought with us now a generation of roses players and it is invaluable that they can look in the mirror and know that they did it [competed against the world’s best]”Thirlby added.
“It has a fiery effect and we have more players in the program and in the team who now see that Tim Roses defeated the nations above them, so they do not come to any hangover that they are third or fourth place more times.
“They start to realize that this is possible, it is done, I want a part of it.”
Who plays for England in the Vitality Netball Nations Cup?
Cardwell (due to a return from injury), Metcalf (due to pregnancy) and Housby (due to club obligations) were not available for selecting. Thacker was elevated from England on January 24, after Lois Pearson’s injury.
English team (exactly 28 January): Halimat Adio, Imogen Allison, Amy Carter, Beth Cobden, Zara Everitt, Funmi Fadoj, Berri Neil, Razia Quashie, Ellie Rattu, Paige Reed, Alicia Scholes, Jess Shaw, Liv Tchine, Emma Thacker, Francesca Williams.
Vitality Netball Nations Cup Festival – Live Further Sky Sports
All times are GMT
Saturday February 1 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
South Africa VS Uganda (15:00)
England VS Malawi (17:00)
Sunday 2. February
Malawi VS Uganda (14:00)
England VS South Africa (16:00)
Saturday February 8 – Copper Box Arena, London
Malawi VS South Africa (15:00)
England VS Uganda (17:00)
Sunday 9 February
Play-off in third place (1.30pm)
Finally (16:00)
Who will win Vitality Netball Nations Cup? Watch live this February live on Sky Sports. No Sky? Get Sky Sports or Stream without a contract now.
