England Netball has announced the 23 players who have been selected for the Vitality Roses programme for the 2024-25 international season.
The announcement sees Beth Cobden and Zara Everitt return after a year’s break, and Jessica Shaw following a longer period away.
Tash Pavelin, Lois Pearson and Paige Reed are new names to feature, all having being elevated from the Future Roses programme.
Vitality Roses programme – 2024-25 international season
Imogen Allison (Manchester Thunder), Eleanor Cardwell (Melbourne Mavericks), Amy Carter (Manchester Thunder), Beth Cobden (Loughborough Lightning), Zara Everitt (London Pulse), Funmi Fadoju (London Pulse), Alice Harvey (Loughborough Lightning), Helen Housby (New South Wales Swifts), Hannah Joseph (Loughborough Lightning), Natalie Metcalf (Manchester Thunder) Berri Neil (London Pulse), Vicki Oyesola (Saracens Mavericks), Tash Pavelin (Team Bath Netball), Lois Pearson (Manchester Thunder), Jayda Pechova (Team Bath Netball), Razia Quashie (Saracens Mavericks), Ellie Rattu (Saracens Mavericks), Paige Reed (Manchester Thunder), Alicia Scholes (London Pulse), Jessica Shaw (Severn Stars), Olivia Tchine (London Pulse), Emma Thacker (Saracens Mavericks), Francesca Williams (West Coast Fever)
Sasha Glasgow and George Fisher have not been included at this stage as they focus on their rehabilitation from injury with their domestic clubs, while Halimat Adio, Sophie Drakeford-Lewis, Laura Malcolm and Elle McDonald have made the decision to take a step back from the full-time programme.
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Sophie Drakeford-Lewis is one to have taken the decision to take a step back from the full-time programme
Of the 23 selected, 20 are based in the UK playing in the Netball Super League (NSL), with the remaining three – Eleanor Cardwell, Helen Housby and Francesca Williams – playing their domestic netball in the Suncorp Super Netball league in Australia.
Head coach Jess Thirlby said the group selected “excites” her and moves the Vitality Roses closer to their ambition of winning Netball World Cup in three years’ time.
“I want to congratulate all the athletes that have been selected for this year’s Roses programme,” Thirlby said. “What an exciting cohort to get to work with and whom I know will help move us closer to our bold ambition of World Cup gold in 2027.
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England’s Netball head coach Jess Thirlby discusses her intentions for the next four years in hopes of leading the team to becoming world champions.
“We always expect to have a brilliant blend of talent in any national programme but the balance of readiness to perform and potential amongst this squad excites me and I hope the fans too.”
The Vitality Roses programme runs over 12 months and consists of UK-based training camps and competitive opportunities at home and overseas, as well as in-club support for the players during the domestic seasons. Any players not selected in the squad for the full-time programme are still eligible for selection for competition.
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