Day one of the Netball World Cup is finally here! All 16 teams get their campaigns underway including the Vitality Roses who will take on Barbados in their opening game of Pool B, live on Sky Sports Arena, Mix and YouTube at 7pm UK time.
Each day we will be running a live blog, keeping you up to date with what’s happening on game day for the Vitality Roses, including the build-up, all the action during the match and post-game thoughts from Jess Thirlby and the team. We will also keep across what’s happening elsewhere in our Pool as we set out on our Netball World Cup journey.
Keep up with all the action across the tournament using our handy match schedule and wall planner.
If you want to see how some of the Netball Super League (NSL) players are getting on during the tournament, head over to the NSL website for daily updates.
Watch all of today’s games live on Sky Sports Arena including England vs. Barbados which will also be available on Sky Sports Mix and YouTube.
22:00
Elsewhere in England’s Pool, the Malawi Queens claimed a six-goal victory over the Scottish Thistles.
LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS 🥹
Malawi rally to beat Scotland 55-49 in their #NWC2023 opener 👏 pic.twitter.com/tCdQW66y0r
— World Netball (@WorldNetball_) July 28, 2023
21:25
Funmi doing Funmi things.
A brilliant second half performance from World Cup debutant Funmi Fadoju sees her pick up Player of the Match.
World Cup debut 🤝 Player of the Match
It can only be @FadojuFunmi 🙌
A brilliant performance from the defensive superstar that sees the Vitality Roses start their @NetballWorldCup campaign with a bang 💥 pic.twitter.com/dl7xGaJEre
— England Netball (@EnglandNetball) July 28, 2023
21:15
High five if you made your Netball World Cup debut tonight!
Olivia Tchine and Laura Malcolm come on to make their World Cup debuts – Credit: Danny Dalton
21:00
Things you love to see.
First game, first win ✅
All 12 – including five debutants – out on court as the Vitality Roses start as they mean to go on 💪#NWC2023 | @NetballWorldCup pic.twitter.com/YYdbYmJz9n
— England Netball (@EnglandNetball) July 28, 2023
20:35
England finish the final quarter strong as they tick over 20 goals for the fourth consecutive quarter as Olivia Tchine returns to combine with Eleanor Cardwell. This has been helped by the Roses speed in transition and successful building up, generating an impressive 88% from gains to goals.
Just before the buzzer, Layla Guscoth sends the ball long to Olivia Tchine who props the ball up to help England hit the 90-goal mark.
England 90-29 Barbados
20:30
Helen Housby rejoins Cardwell in the shooting circle and maintains her 100% record under the post.
England fans can be heard in the crowd signing ‘Netball’s coming home’. Amazing support from the travelling Roses supporters.
England 80-27 Barbados
20:25
Kadeen Corbin moves up to goal keeper for Barbados, moving from one end of the court to the other. Teammate Akeena Stoute goes down by the post but gets back on her feet to walk off to the sideline.
No changes from England at quarter time as the seven on court continue to press.
England 73-25 Barbados
20:15
As the third comes to a close, England are maintaining their speed moving through the court. Imogen Allison and Laura Malcolm are making it very difficult for the Bajan Gems to find the Corbin sisters quickly, forcing them to go long with Geva Mentor and Funmi Fadoju are mopping up the loose balls. Fran Williams and Layla Guscoth return to the defence as they help the Vitality Roses close out a commanding 23-4 quarter.
England 65-22 Barbados
Natalie Metcalf searching for Olivia Tchine – Credit: mbphotonz
20:10
Chelsea Pitman and Olivia Tchine are showing great chemistry, similar to what we’ve seen from them with London Pulse in the Netball Super League. They are soon joined by Cardwell who returns to the game in place of Metcalf and is commanding the circle. England are really motoring in this quarter, notching up 16 goals to the Bajan Gems’ two with five minutes left in the quarter.
England 58-20 Barbados
20:05
England come out for the second half with a rotated seven as Geva Mentor returns to the line up whilst Chelsea Pitman and Funmi Fadoju enter the game as new additions. Immediately, Fadoju, playing in her first World Cup makes an immediate rebound with an incredible leap into the air. Nat Metcalf joins Olivia Tchine in the shooting circle as a new combination is tested. England continue to find joy with the long balls as Imogen Allison and Laura Malcolm put pressure on the Bajan Gems to help the defence pick up lots of turnover ball.
England 51-19 Barbados
19:50
Layla Guscoth is taking charge in the Roses defensive end; she picks up another two intercepts in the closing stages of the quarter as Barbados step up the tempo through the Corbin sisters in attack. But at the other end of the court, England co-captain Nat Metcalf is orchestrating her side’s attacking play as she finishes the first half with 30 feeds to her name.
England 42-18 Barbados
Lauren Nicholls supporting her Loughborough Lightning teammate Fran Williams
19:45
Latonia Blackman, playing at her sixth World Cup for Barbados, takes the GS bib as Kadeen Corbin moves to GA to try and support her sister in the build up. Whilst England have eased off, they continue to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
England 32-13 Barbados
19:40
Olivia Tchine comes on for Eleanor Cardwell for her Netball World Cup debut and puts up her first goal within the first 10 seconds after the restart. The young shooter uses her impressive wingspan to collect some long balls as England try a different route to goal. A few minutes later Laura Malcolm enters the game for her first set of minutes at a World Cup alongside Fran Williams.
Sasha Corbin gets the crowd on their feet with a long looping feed into the shooting circle, finding her sister under the post.
England 29-12 Barbados
The Vitality Roses primed and ready for the start of the Netball World Cup
19:25
Despite a few loose balls into the shooting circle, England have found their groove, pulling away in the last five minutes of the quarter. In the defensive end, Layla Guscoth has picked off a rebound and forced an error in the circle from Kadeen Corbin. At the end of the first quarter, England lead by eight.
England 20-8 Barbados
19:20
After a steady start, the Vitality Roses are starting to find their rhythm through some expansive play, swinging the ball from side to side around the circle. Helen Housby has made a sharp start and is combining well with Metcalf to open up more space for her shooting partner, Cardwell.
England 12-6 Barbados
19:15
Netball World Cup debutant Eleanor Cardwell notches up the first goal for the Vitality Roses. Barbados force an early turnover but Imogen Allison, also making her World Cup debut, makes an immediate intercept. The Corbin sisters show great chemistry with their new international teammates and produce a well crafted move around the shooting circle to keep them in the touching distance.
England 4-3 Barbados
19:10
Jade Clarke gets us underway with the first centre pass!
19:05
Five minutes to go until we get underway.
Layla Guscoth will be the on-court captain. All of the Vitality Roses are wearing black armbands in memory of Head Coach Jess Thirlby’s father who recently passed away.
18:50
It’s almost time!
Watch the action live on Sky Sports Arena, Mix and YouTube
18:40
And here is the Barbados team.
GK – Faye Agard
GD – Akeena Stoute
WD – Tonisha Rock-Yaw
C – Teresa Howell
WA – Sasha Corbin
GA – Latonia Blackman
GS – Kadeen Corbin
Substitutes: Carla Boyce, Brianna Holder, Amanda Knight, Tamara Trotman, Damia Walrond
18:30
Here’s our starting seven for our opening game of the Netball World Cup!
Head Coach Jess Thirlby provides some thoughts on today’s selection.
We caught up with Head Coach @JessThirlby ahead of the game 💬#NWC2023 pic.twitter.com/yRdj2edrFM
— England Netball (@EnglandNetball) July 28, 2023
18:00
One hour to go until the Vitality Roses start their Netball World Cup journey.
Not long to go until we see the starting seven, but who would you pick? Head over to the BBC Sport website to make your selection.
17:30
Former Roses, now Bajan Gems.
Kadeen and Sasha Corbin will come up against some of their former teammates for Barbados this evening.
Kadeen Corbin won gold with the Roses at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and between her and her sister, the pair made over 143 appearances for England.
Both @Sasha_Corbin & I are so humbled, our hearts are full, it's a dream come true, never thought we'd get to play on the international stage again. What an absolute honour and exciting opportunity to be named to represent Barbados at NWC in South Africa 🇧🇧💎 pic.twitter.com/nfz9e56qnD
— Kadeen Corbin (@Kadeen_Corbin) June 22, 2023
17.00
Just a couple of hours to go!
Take a look at our game day preview to learn more about our recent meetings as well as a couple of familiar faces to look out for in the Bajan Gems squad!
16:15
Did you know that for every goal the Vitality Roses score during the Netball World Cup, a free sports bra will be pledged to the Roses’ first club.
15:45
Where it all began.
Last night the Vitality Roses received their dresses for the tournament and were also presented with some kit from their first netball clubs.
To celebrate where their netball journeys began, each player was given a t-shirt from their first UK club 👕 pic.twitter.com/5bn8BwqzLL
— England Netball (@EnglandNetball) July 28, 2023
15:00
The Opening Ceremony is underway! All of the teams have come into the Cape Town International Convention Centre as the hosts officially open the Netball World Cup.
And the crowd goes WILD! 🥳 The SPAR Proteas 🇿🇦 have entered the arena. The world UNITED at the 2023 @NetballWorldCup Opening Ceremony. 🌍❤️#SPARProteas | #NWC2023 | #PutYourHandsUp pic.twitter.com/uU7V64o7xa
— Netball South Africa (@Netball_SA) July 28, 2023
14:30
Off The Court is back on Sky Sports YouTube! Each day, Caroline Barker and Eboni Usoro-Brown will be chatting to teams the Netball World Cup. Yesterday they caught up with Helen Housby and Eleanor Cardwell.
13:45
Check out the Pub Hubs that will be showing the Vitality Roses fixtures over the next 10 days!
Ain't no party like a netball watch party 🕺
🤝 We're partnering with @WeLoveSportUK to bring the #NWC2023 to a pub near you!
18 venues nationwide will show Vitality Roses fixtures on the big screen, with discounts available for netball fans via the We Love Sport app 📲⬇️
— England Netball (@EnglandNetball) July 28, 2023
13:30
A lot of work has gone into getting the squad ready for Cape Town.
Vitality Roses Head Coach Jess Thirlby spoke to us yesterday about preparations, Preliminaries Stage One and what a game day looks like for coaches.
13:00
In a few hours’ time, we will bring you the starting seven.
For the first time at the Netball World Cup, we have three reserves (Hali Adio, Amy Carter and Sophie Drakeford-Lewis) who can remain with the team throughout the tournament, and in the event of a tournament-ending injury, illness or unforeseen personal circumstances, these players can act as a permanent replacement for the remainder of the tournament.
Take a look at the players who have been selected to represent the Vitality Roses.
12:45
Here’s a reminder of who England will play in Preliminary Stage One.
12:30
The action is underway in Cape Town!
Eight teams have started their World Cup campaigns this morning including the reigning champions the New Zealand Silver Ferns, and the Commonwealth Games gold medallists’ the Australian Diamonds.
Here are the results from this morning’s sessions.
Tonga 56-51 Fiji
New Zealand 76-27 Trinidad & Tobago
Australia 86-30 Zimbabwe
Uganda 79-37 Singapore
At 3pm the opening ceremony will take place before the next session gets underway at 5pm.
Keep up to date with what’s happening inside the England camp by following us on our socials @EnglandNetball.
