Rhinos called up for England squads

Vitality Roses Head Coach Jess Thirlby has selected a squad of 14 who will represent England in the Vitality Netball International Series versus New Zealand in November and 15 who will play in the Vitality Netball Horizon Series against Jamaica in December. A further 16 athletes will form an England A squad who will play behind-closed-doors matches against Scotland and Northern Ireland in October and November.

The Vitality Netball International Series against New Zealand will be held on 15 and 16 November at the Copper Box Arena in London, with the third and final test on 19 November at Manchester’s AO Arena. The tournament will see the Vitality Roses take on world ranked number two, New Zealand, bringing the two nations’ fierce on-court rivalry to life across two different venues.

The 14-strong squad selected to face New Zealand features nine of the Vitality Roses team that won the Vitality Netball Nations Cup at the start of the year, along with Helen Housby and Eleanor Cardwell who return to the squad. Sasha Glasgow, who made her Vitality Roses debut against New Zealand in 2023, also returns to the squad, being called up for the first time since her reintroduction to the Vitality Roses programme for the 2025-26 season. Thirlby’s squad also sees both Jaz Brown and Emma Rayner receive their first senior call-up to the Vitality Roses, with the opportunity to make their England debuts this winter.

Following the series against New Zealand, a squad of 15 players has been selected who will play in the Vitality Netball Horizon series against Jamaica. The series will be played at home and away, with the opening two games in Kingston, Jamaica on 6 and 7 December, before games on 13 and 14 December at London’s Copper Box Arena, where fans will see the Rhone Hornsby Trophy lifted for the second time. Whilst 14 of the selected squad will also take on New Zealand in November, an addition to the squad to face Jamaica sees Natalie Metcalf named. Metcalf gave birth to her first daughter in May 2025 and her inclusion in this squad means she may have the opportunity to take to court for the first time as a mother in December.

Vitality Roses squad:

*Selected for Vitality Netball Horizon Series only.

Imogen Allison (due to injury) was unavailable for selection.

Vitality Roses Head Coach Jess Thirlby commented: “Competition and depth in the Vitality Roses squad is at an all-time high, making for a tough selection for these back-to-back series. Credit to all the players who have been working tirelessly on their physical, technical and tactical readiness so that we can not only hit the ground running against New Zealand but also make the gains needed ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year. It has been inspiring watching the group level up both their intensity and quality of training. 

“Whilst the dynamics in the team are always evolving, which is always welcome, we value the stability and continuity of a number of our more experienced players who continue to keep their standards high, as well as the new and returning talent who are rising to the challenge and deserve their opportunity to pull on the red dress.

“To play quality opposition in New Zealand and Jamaica in such quick succession poses some big challenges, but we can take confidence in the work we’ve put in, and we now look forward to testing ourselves in seven international matches ahead of Christmas. It’s important that we allow ourselves and the team opportunities to both discover new things and consolidate our strengths, and our tactical diversity shines through with this selection. It’s great to have representation of so many of our Netball Super League teams as well as those based over in Suncorp Super Netball and I’m looking forward to showcasing what we know the team are capable of.”

A further squad of 16 athletes has been selected to compete in a series of fixtures as England A throughout October and November. Featuring a mixture of Vitality Roses, Future Roses and Roses Academy athletes, this squad will compete against Scotland and Northern Ireland, providing vital experience. In order to respect the touring teams’ confidentiality, it is standard protocol for these games to be played behind closed doors.

England A squad:

** Subject to fitness
***Selected for Northern Ireland fixture only (unavailable for Scotland fixtures)

Vitality Roses Head Coach Jess Thirlby commented: “We have committed to ensuring that we provide opportunities for all our athletes on both the Vitality Roses and Future Roses programmes?to help accelerate their development and increase their chances of a successful transition into the Vitality Roses in the future. These matches will allow a number of our less experienced Vitality Roses, Future Roses and some of our young talent, who recently secured bronze in the Netball World Youth Cup, to come together and play senior international sides, who themselves have big ambitions to rise up the world rankings. England A experiences have played an important role in preparing some of the Vitality Roses you see today, allowing them to come in and impact positively so early in their careers. We’re thankful to both Scotland and Northern Ireland for joining us in these fixtures.”

Tickets for the Vitality Netball International Series versus New Zealand are available to purchase here.

Tickets for the Vitality Netball Horizon Series are available to purchase here.

More information on broadcast plans for both series will be shared in due course.

Fixtures and timings for the Vitality Roses series are as follows:

Vitality Netball International Series versus New Zealand (First Centre Pass UK Times) 

Saturday 15 November – Copper Box Arena, London
England vs. New Zealand – 17:00 

Sunday 16 November – Copper Box Arena, London
England vs. New Zealand – 15:00 

Wednesday 19 November – AO Arena, Manchester
England vs. New Zealand – 19:00?? 

Vitality Netball Horizon Series (First Centre Pass UK Times)

Saturday 6 December – National Indoor Sports Centre, Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica vs. England – 22:30

Sunday 7 December – National Indoor Sports Centre, Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica vs. England – 23:00

Saturday 13 December – Copper Box Arena, London
England vs. Jamaica – 14:15

Sunday 14 December – Copper Box Arena, London
England vs. Jamaica – 14:00