Vitality Roses: Jess Thirlby calls up Elle McDonald for England squad to face Jamaica | Netball News

Vitality Roses head coach Jess Thirlby names her squad to face Jamaica in a three-match series next month: “Jamaica have a hugely talented squad, combining some familiar faces with some new emerging names who we’ll learn more about over the course of the series.”

Elle McDonald during her time with the Adelaide Thunderbirds

Vitality Roses head coach Jess Thirlby has called up Elle McDonald for her first international series as England prepare to face Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls in January.

The Leeds Rhinos mid-courter, who was born in Leigh before moving to Australia at the age of eight, features in the squad having appeared at the FAST5 Netball World Series in November.

The Vitality Roses will face Commonwealth silver medalists Jamaica in a three-match series beginning on Wednesday January 11.

Thirlby’s side recently moved up to third in the world rankings, leapfrogging Jamaica ahead of next summer’s Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa.

McDonald signed for Leeds from the Adelaide Thunderbirds in September having come through the Netball Victoria Pathway.

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“As we move closer to the Netball World Cup, this series against Jamaica gives us the opportunity to continue testing our combinations, build on what we’re doing well and implement some of the learnings from a robust autumn series against both Uganda and Australia, having been back in camp through November,” said Thirlby.

“This series will be a much welcomed and exciting test for us. Jamaica have a hugely talented squad, combining some familiar faces with some new emerging names who we’ll learn more about over the course of the series.”

The Vitality Roses beat the Sunshine Girls in a series for the first time since 2013 last year with a 2-1 win over their three matches.

Loughborough Lightning’s Beth Cobden was unavailable to be selected due to injury.

As part of the Vitality Netball International Series with Jamaica, a series of curtain raiser games will take place involving England A, led by Kat Ratnapala, and the Future Roses, led by Sheonah Forbes.

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England A will take on the Scottish Thistles – a team England have drawn in their pool for the Netball World Cup next year – in Manchester on Wednesday January 11 before the Future Roses play the England Thorns – the England men’s netball team – in London on Saturday January 14 and Sunday January 15. The England A team will also take on Jamaica in a behind-closed-doors training match on Monday 9 January.

“We have great depth in talent across our national programmes and next month gives us the opportunity to expose more players in our pathway to the conditions of international netball,” said Performance Director David Parsons.

“This will allow us to see more combinations on court, observe the development of our athletes and give our coaching team more time to work with a wider group of players as we continue to build towards the Netball World Cup and beyond.”

Full Vitality Roses squad:

• Imogen Allison – Team Bath Netball – WD, C
• Eleanor Cardwell – Adelaide Thunderbirds (Australia) – GA, GS
• Jade Clarke – London Pulse – C, WD
• Sophie Drakeford-Lewis – Surrey Storm – GA, WA
• Funmi Fadoju – London Pulse – GD, GK, WD
• Layla Guscoth – Surrey Storm – GD, GK
• Jo Harten – GIANTS Netball (Australia) – GS, GA
• Alice Harvey – Loughborough Lightning – GK, GD
• Helen Housby – NSW Swifts (Australia) – GA, GS
• Laura Malcolm – Trident Homes Tactix (New Zealand) – WD, C, WA
• Elle McDonald – Leeds Rhinos – C, WA, WD
• Geve Mentor – Collingwood Magpies (Australia) – GK, GD
• Natalie Metcalf – Manchester Thunder – WA, GA
• Chelsea Pitman – London Pulse – WA
• Olivia Tchine – London Pulse – GS, GA
• Francesca Williams – Loughborough Lightning – GD, GK