Netball Dec 07, 2025

England Roses beat New Zealand at Commonwealth Games

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
England Roses beat New Zealand at Commonwealth Games

England beat New Zealand for the first time in Commonwealth Games history on Wednesday and will face Jamaica in the semi-finals.

Tracey Neville's team are bidding to better their best ever showing at the Commonwealths - a bronze medal won in 2010, 2006 and 1998.

The Roses will now face the runner-up from Pool A, Jamaica, who were beaten by hosts and defending champions Australia in the final match of the group stages.

After a week of competition, the pool matches were completed on Wednesday on the Gold Coast and it is Neville's England and the Aussie Diamonds who have maintained a perfect record of five wins from their five games to reach the last four.

Despite their defeat to the Roses, two-time gold medalists New Zealand are through to Saturday's semi-finals on points difference, edging out Uganda and Malawi who both recorded three wins. New Zealand will now face a blockbuster encounter against Australia - a repeat of all five previous Commonwealth Games finals.

Commonwealth Games - Semi-Finals Saturday from 6am

Australia v New Zealand

England v Jamaica

England's semi-final against Jamaica is a repeat of the bronze medal match won by the Sunshine Girls in Glasgow four years ago but this year means that one of the two nations will reach a first Commonwealth final.

Also on Wednesday, there was a second win of the Games for Northern Ireland, who beat Fiji to finish fourth in Pool A and will face Malawi in the seventh place match.

Scotland and Wales were both beaten in their final pool matches; the Thistles will now meet Barbados as they look to take ninth place while winless Wales will face Fiji, who also ended the group stage without a win, as they aim to avoid finishing is last place.

As for the Roses triumph, it proved to be a thrilling start to the day's action. New Zealand led after 14 minutes but Helen Housby twice scored to bring England level. Despite an impressive showing from Maria Folau, the Roses stood firm in a thrilling first half to lead by two goals at the interval.

Returning from the break with a 26-24 advantage, Neville introduced Eboni Beckford Chambers and Jade Clarke and the pair proved hugely influential as the Roses stretched their lead to five goals.

A dogged New Zealand refused to buckle and it needed a Jo Harten brace to help England extend their lead to six goals heading into the final 15 minutes.

Maria Folau and Te Paea Selby-Rickit drew the Silver Ferns to within three with seven minutes remaining but the Roses powered home down the stretch to complete a famous and memorable win - their biggest ever over New Zealand.

England starting seven: GK - Mentor; GD - Agbeze; WD - Cobden; C - Guthrie; WA - Pitman; GA - Housby; GS - Harten.

Replacements: Haythornthwaite, Clarke, Gibson, K Corbin, Beckford-Chambers.

Tags:

netball news id:11326202

Share this article

Related Posts

Netball Super Cup: Loughborough Lightning beat London Pulse by one goal in final to claim title and put down marker for new season

Netball Super Cup: Loughborough Lightning beat London Pulse by one goal in final to claim title and put down marker for new season

Loughborough Lightning beat London Pulse 18-17 in the final of the Netball Super Cup on Saturday.London Pulse were looking to defend their title after...

England 80-37 Jamaica: Vitality Roses secure dominant win in first Test

England 80-37 Jamaica: Vitality Roses secure dominant win in first Test

England's Vitality Roses produced a confident and dominant performance at the Copper Box Arena in London, overcoming a determined Jamaica 80-37.Englan...

England Netball: Tracey Neville admits she is 'absolutely not' right choice for head coach job after Jess Thirlby's departure

England Netball: Tracey Neville admits she is 'absolutely not' right choice for head coach job after Jess Thirlby's departure

Tracey Neville has admitted she is not the right candidate at this time for the role of England Netball head coach, while Tamsin Greenway has revealed...

Alicia Scholes hits back at critics after London Pulse edge LexisNexis Dragons in physical Netball Super League battle

Alicia Scholes hits back at critics after London Pulse edge LexisNexis Dragons in physical Netball Super League battle

London Pulse wing attack Alicia Scholes hit back at criticism of her on social media following the 2025 champions' narrow victory over LexisNexis Drag...

'Every bit of netball I play is a bonus after leg break'  - Sasha Glasgow reflects after returning to England duty

'Every bit of netball I play is a bonus after leg break' - Sasha Glasgow reflects after returning to England duty

In 2024 Australian-born England Rose Sasha Glasgow was set to make her debut with Melbourne Mavericks in the Suncorp Super Netball league, but a warm-...

Helen Housby: Whenever England play South Africa it's always a grudge match

Helen Housby: Whenever England play South Africa it's always a grudge match

England star Helen Housby is looking for the Vitality Roses to make a statement in a “huge” series against South Africa this week.The first match agai...