Roses secure 82-31 victory
After an 80-37 win in the opening game, today’s win saw the Vitality Roses win the Vitality Netball Horizon Series for the first time.
The series saw Emma Rayner made her England debut.
Emma said: “It was amazing being able to get out there in front of a home crowd, you can’t actually beat it. To be able to get out there today was unbelievable, I absolutely loved it. I kept telling myself to just have a smile on your face and enjoy it, and I spoke to Nat [Metcalf] before the game and she said to just go out there and absolutely soak it in, so I felt like I did that.”
Vitality Roses head coach Jess Thirlby said: “What a brilliant matchup this series was for us, hot off the heels of playing New Zealand last month. It was new territory for us getting so many goals on the board yesterday, and was a record margin between ourselves and Jamaica, who are currently ranked above us. So, I think to come out and do that again is a big ask, and it may not feel like it to the crowd who are expecting us to be able to do that again. But it is a discipline to come out and be quite ruthless with what we want to get out and put out on the court.
“We were clear that we wanted to elevate our performance, I think we did that, and still got people out on court, and a new debutante in Emma, which is incredible. For Emma to go out there and debut against Jamaica at centre, it’s not an easy ask, but I really trusted her. She’s so diligent and articulate, she obviously knows several of the girls from Manchester Thunder and has just got a lovely manner about her. She takes nothing for granted, but she also backs herself and gives me the confidence that now was the right time to reward her for her form over the last few months in training. And I thought she did a brilliant job and got better as the game went on.
Talking about Nat Metcalf returning to court after the birth of her daughter Miller in May in the first game of the series: “Nat and I had a little bit of a quiet moment in the changing room, just shoulder to shoulder, and she just lent her head into me, which I’ll never forget that feeling, because it kind of was going full circle. We sat on the beach in Perth when she told me that she found out she was pregnant just before we played Australia, and to have kind of had the privilege, really, to be part of such a personal journey. It’s an absolute privilege to have watched Josh, Nat, and Miller. They’re such a unit. They’re the best team within this team really. And they’ve put all the work in, and we’ve just tried our very best to ensure that she had choice and felt supported.”
Captain Fran Williams said: “It’s our first time winning the Horizon Series and at the end of the day Jamaica are ranked above us in the world rankings. So to be able to take a scalp there and also win our first ever trophy in this rivalry and competition is really exciting and something that we should be really proud of still as a group.
“I think we showed diversity in how we play the game, with rotating circles, our holding shooters in Liv [Tchine] and El [Cardwell], and lots of versatility in defence with people swapping around positions, which has been massive for us these last two games.”
Talking about Emma’s debut she added: “It’s so special and a real privilege to represent your country and doing that for the first time, you never forget it. I thought she absolutely went out there and took her moment and opportunity.”
Image: Hayley Bavin supplied to Media by England Netball
