England face Jamaica in London this weekend in the second of three international series from next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Following a disappointing 2-1 series loss to New Zealand, despite some shining moments throughout, the Roses will be looking to boost their confidence as the summer inches closer.
Jamaica, however, may not be providing quite the same challenge as England have come to expect from the world No 3-ranked team, as the Sunshine Girls are missing some stars.
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Watch the highlights of Jamaica beating 2019 world champions New Zealand to win the bronze medal at the Netball World Cup
“We are in no pressure facing England; we are talking about performances, we are talking about goals,” head coach Sasher Gaye Henry-Wright told the Jamaica Observer.
“We know what we have, we know what we are going to England with. We just have to work.
“This is the best team we can put together right now, and we are very happy that we could put a team together despite not having our senior and experienced players.
The first leg of the Vitality Horizon Series was due to be held in Jamaica but had to be cancelled due to impacts of Hurricane Melissa
“And, it goes to show that our programme just needs to be more premier – having more coaches, having the pathway programme readily available that when these times come, we can pull from it.
“We don’t have that right now because of funding. We only have a senior programme and the U21s and so there’s nothing happening, so because of the [lack of] money we are not able to do it.
“We still need to go out and recruit players; we need to look around and see what we have in Jamaica but we are still optimistic and we believe that things we be better soon.”
Jamaica’s captain Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard will not play in the series
Key players missing from the squad include Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Romelda Aiken-George, Shimona Nelson, and Latanya Wilson.
But the most notable omission is Sunshine Girls captain, Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, who announced her pregnancy on Tuesday.
Jodie-Ann Ward will also be absent after rupturing her ACL in May while playing for Giants in the SSN.
Kadie-Ann Dehaney and Latanya Wilson are a formidable wall in defence but neither will be playing in the series
Adelaide Thunderbirds household favourite, Shamera Sterling, is also not part of the squad. She gave birth to her son in October.
It’s not all gloom for the Sunshine Girls though as seasoned internationals Shanice Beckford and Khadija Williams will be key players in the series.
The pair were part of Jamaica’s 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze-medal squads and reached a historic silver in 2022.
After retiring from international netball five years ago, former captain Vangelee Williams will be making a return to the court at 33 years old after debuting for the senior team in 2011.
Also in the squad is former Vitality Rose, Rhea Dixon who switched to represent Jamaica in 2023 in a move she described as a “life-changing experience” for “my netball and my identity”.
Shamera Sterling won’t be part of the squad as she recently gave birth to her son in October
Vitality Roses squad
Eleanor Cardwell, Sasha Glasgow, Helen Housby, Lois Pearson, Liv Tchine, Natalie Metcalf, Amy Carter, Beth Cobden, Emma Rayner, Jess Shaw, Halimat Adio, Jaz Brown, Razia Quashie, Funmi Fadoju, Francesca Williams.
Jamaica squad
Shanice Beckford, Rhea Dixon, Simone Gordon, Gezelle Allison, Mischa Creary, Khadija Williams, Adean Thomas, Abigale Sutherland, Crystal Plummer, Zaudi Green, Kimone Shaw, Vangelee Williams, Theresa Beckford, Roxonna McLean, Paula Ann Burton.
Vitality Netball Horizon Series schedule
The first two games of the series originally set to be played in Jamaica were cancelled due to the impact of Hurricane Melissa, so the series will now only see two games with both played in London.
Saturday December 13: Copper Box Arena, London
England vs Jamaica, 2pm
Sunday December 14: Copper Box Arena, London
England vs Jamaica, 2.15pm
Times subject to slight change due to broadcast requirements