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Vitality Netball Nations Cup 2025: can the England Roses go all the way?

Updated Tuesday, 4 February 2025

The Vitality Netball Nations Cup kicked off on 1 February 2025. Find out more in this article.

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The weekend of 1/2 February 2025 saw the start of the Vitality Netball Nations Cup, hosted by England and held across venues in Nottingham and London. The England Roses are looking to build on their successes during the event and are in prime position to challenge for victory at the event played across two weekends. 

On Saturday 1 February, in their opening game, they defeated Malawi 62-36. The following day, despite playing better as a team, and being neck and neck with them at the end of every quarter, South Africa just clinched the victory at the end winning by 2 points 59-61.

Paige Reed of the Roses battles with Martha Dambo of Malawi, 1 February 2025

The fast-paced invasion sporting competition is being aired live on Sky Sports and should be a thrilling showcase of global netball talent.

Netball is a team sport played primarily by women, where two teams of 7 players each compete to score goals by shooting a ball through a hoop. The court is divided into three sections, and each player is assigned a position which dictates a designated area where they can move and play:

  • Goal Shooter (GS)
  • Goal Attack (GA)
  • Wing Attack (WA)
  • Centre (C)
  • Wing Defence (WD)
  • Goal Defence (GD)
  • Goal Keeper (GK)

Only two of the players above can score goals – Goal Attack (GA) and Goal Shooter (GS). The game is non-contact, with players required to pass the ball to teammates within a few seconds, aiming to create space and opportunities to score. It’s a highly strategic sport that combines athleticism, teamwork, and precision. As one of the world’s top teams, the Roses’ chances of lifting the trophy were high, thanks to their recent form, experienced players, and strong leadership under Head Coach – Jess Thirlby.

In 2023, the Roses secured an impressive bronze medal at the Fast5 Netball World Series and silver in the Netball World Cup, showing their ability to compete against the best in the world. In 2024, England won the Taini Jamison Trophy Series for a second time. For 2025, the 10-strong squad is quite a new team and has the potential to build on their games this weekend. 

With the high-performance training programs and elite level resources, the team is primed for 2025 to take on the world’s top netball nations, including Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica.

England v South Africa, 2 February 2025

Not only have England Roses been among the most talented teams in the sport, but their dedication to women’s sport represents a growing movement in the UK. Netball is unique in that it doesn’t need to be compared to a men’s sport: it stands as a tactical, high-energy and skill-intensive game in its own right. It’s not surprising that it’s experiencing a surge in popularity, and supporting the Roses is an investment in women’s sport, showing that the UK is backing a team capable of making history. You do not want to get left behind in such ‘an exhilarating time for fans and a critical moment in the history of women’s sport’.

With strong squad dynamics, a history of podium finishes, and the passion of fans behind them, the Roses’ future of netball is bright, and with England hosting the Cup, now is the time to rally behind the Roses as they build on their experience on the world stage.

On Saturday 8 February, the Roses take on Uganda at the Copper Box Arena in London and on Sunday 9 February will see the play-offs for the Final and third place.

Find out where to watch the Vitality Netball Nations Cup.

 

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