England’s bid to regain the Commonwealth Games netball title ended with a 61-54 semi-final defeat to New Zealand, with the scoreline flattering a Roses side that was thoroughly outplayed. The 2018 Gold Coast champions will now play Australia for bronze on Sunday morning.
England coach Anna Stembridge gave credit to New Zealand for the way they started. “Credit to the Silver Ferns in terms of the way they came out. They really stifled our service into the shooters. We were a little bit loose with some of our placement and, again, they showed the type of range they have and how clinical they are when they gain possession.”
“They’re ranked number two in the world for a reason. We’ll make sure we take what we need to from that game and prepare accordingly for whoever we face tomorrow,” Stembridge added. “We fell short a little bit. Ultimately, we’ve got 10 players who have never played in a Commonwealth Games semi-final before. The experience they’ll have gained from that is going to be instrumental, both for tomorrow and building towards the World Cup.”
Jamaica stun defending champions Australia
New Zealand will meet Jamaica in the final after Jamaica beat Australia 46-45 in a major upset. Sophie Dwyer missed a three-foot shot in the final second, meaning Australia failed to reach the final for the first time since netball was introduced to the Commonwealth Games in 1998.
In scenes reminiscent of England’s last-gasp gold medal win in 2018, the final buzzer triggered wild celebrations as Jamaica’s substitutes ran on to the court to embrace their teammates. Australia, who beat Jamaica in the Birmingham final four years ago, will now face England in Sunday’s bronze medal match.
Nweke powers New Zealand into final
New Zealand were without defender Catherine Hall, who ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in her knee against Wales, but goal attack Georgia Heffernan overcame an ankle injury to play. Heffernan scored nine goals from 10 attempts and contributed 15 goal assists, yet it was Grace Nweke who dominated. The 6ft 4in goal shooter finished with 52 goals from 57 attempts.
After a nervy start, New Zealand led 16-11 at the end of the first quarter and soon stretched their advantage to nine, with Nweke scoring 23 goals from 23 shots. She missed for the first time just before the break, and England closed to 29-24, giving them hope of repeating their pool-stage comeback against South Africa.
Eleanor Cardwell’s introduction added more punch up front, but Stembridge’s other third-quarter changes failed to pay off. New Zealand were nine ahead at the end of the quarter and moved 12 clear early in the fourth. Late goals reduced the deficit, but the result was already secure.
Williams: “We’re devastated but still fighting for a medal”
England captain Fran Williams admitted the team were below their best. “I don’t feel like we were anywhere near our best today, so it’s a real shame not to be able to put in that performance in a semi-final when it matters most. We’re devastated as a team, but we’re also really aware that we’re still competing for a medal.”
“We’ll be ready to fight for one tomorrow and make sure we come away with that reward. It’s important that we don’t get too down about this game or get stuck in our own heads. We need to stay connected as a group and be ready for the battle,” Williams added.
