The Vitality Roses are set for a huge finish to 2025 with two blockbuster international series lined up against New Zealand and Jamaica, both of whom sit inside the top five in the World rankings.
With the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow drawing closer, these matches are a chance for Jess Thirlby’s squad to fine-tune combinations and test themselves against two of the world’s most physical and tactically testing sides.
The Fixtures:
- Vitality International Test Series (November 2025): England will host the Silver Ferns in a three-match series split between London’s Copper Box Arena and Manchester’s AO Arena, in what will be a repeat of the 2024 Taini Jamison Cup.
- Vitality Horizon Series (December 2025): The last test for 2025 is a home-and-away clash with the Jamaican Sunshine Girls. England will travel to Kingston before welcoming the Sunshine Girls to London as the Roses look to lift the Rhone-Hornsby Cup for the first time, after a closely contested series saw Jamaica take the title last year.
The Roses Squad:
England Netball named a Roses programme for 2025–26, featuring a blend of established internationals and exciting young talent pushing through from the Future Roses pathway.
The players included are as follows:
Halimat Adio, Imogen Allison, Jas Brown, Eleanor Cardwell, Amy Carter, Beth Cobden, Funmi Fadoju, Sasha Glasgow, Helen Housby, Nat Metcalf, Berri Neil, Tash Pavelin, Lois Pearson, Razia Quashie, Ellie Rattu, Emma Rayner, Paige Reed, Alicia Scholes, Jessica Shaw, Olivia Tchine, Anya Williams, Francesca Williams, Yomi Wilson
Players to Watch:
Fran Williams – GD/GK (West Coast Fever)
After captaining England to victory at both the 2024 Taini Jamison Trophy and the 2025 Netball Nations Cup, Williams has firmly established herself as the Roses’ defensive leader.
The ex-Loughborough Lightning defender is calm under pressure and since playing in Perth for the West Coast Fever, has proved herself against some of the world’s best attackers, tallying up 10 intercepts, 38 deflections and 16 rebounds in the SSN 2025 season (10 games played). She’ll be pivotal in organising England’s backline against Jamaica’s towering shooters and New Zealand’s rapid attacking units.
Helen Housby – GA/GS (New South Wales Swifts)
Housby remains England’s most potent attacking weapon. Renowned for her composure in clutch moments and her ability to create space under intense defensive pressure, she consistently delivers when it matters most; over in the SSN she registered 167 goals at 76.1% and delivered the most goal assists for the New South Wales Swifts with 271. Housby’s SSN and international experience will be crucial up against world-class defenders like Jamaica’s Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and New Zealand’s Kelly Jury.
Funmi Fadoju – GD/GK (London Pulse)
London Pulse’s player of the Final has the ability to turn matches with intercepts and deflections, making her one of the most exciting defenders in world netball. Fadoju’s 2025 season proved how vital she will be in Thirlby’s Roses as she recorded impressive stats that include: 18 rebounds, 27 pickups, 120 deflections, 31 intercepts and 77 gains. Her match ups with the tall holding shooters expected in these series are sure to help showcase her agility and timing at the highest level.
Amy Carter – C/WA/WD (Manchester Thunder)
Manchester Thunder captain, Amy Carter, provides balance and poise through the middle third with her controlled feeding and smart positioning, which will be able to help England maintain attacking structure under pressure. Throughout the 2025 NSL season, Carter racked up 14 pickups, 23 deflections, 11 intercepts and 18 gains, helping her side reach the preliminary finals with a heavily rotated squad. Carter’s ability to steady transitions and dictate tempo will be invaluable against two of the world’s most dynamic midcourts.
Why These Series Matter:
With the World rankings being so close, this run of games will allow the Roses to benchmark against the best, with New Zealand and Jamaica sit directly above and below England in the world rankings. These games are the perfect indicator of where the Roses stand heading into the Glasgow Commonwealth Games next summer.
Alongside seeing how the Roses cohort will rise to the occasion against top sides, these games allow for the building of combinations as Thirlby has a wealth of options across court, with new names coming into the fold and returning players hoping to make their mark once again. These series are just as important for finding the right partnerships under pressure as they are for seeing how the International scene has progressed from the World Cup.
Finally, with the Commonwealth Games approaching, these games will allow the Roses to build momentum. A strong finish to 2025 could carry England into 2026 brimming with belief with tests that promise intensity, physicality and skill.
More than just preparation, they are stepping stones toward something bigger. For the Roses, this is the perfect chance to see how England measures up against two of the most formidable forces in world netball, who have challenged the side in past competitions, and to dream about what might be possible when the team walks out in Glasgow in 2026.