Sunshine Girls to face England Roses in Vitality Legend Series in January
Jamaica’s sunshine Girls will face England’s Vitality Roses in a four-match test series called the Vitality Netball Legends series, at the end of January next year.
This will be the first international competition that will be played in England in 2021.
The Sunshine Girls have been in training since October in preparation for a series that should have taken place in December, but with a second lockdown in Britain those plans had to be shelved.
However, netball will still be played between the two nations, as after extensive planning, plus regular conversations with Public Health England, Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls have agreed to travel to the UK for a period of isolation before taking on the Vitality Roses in the highly anticipated new series.
The Sunshine Girls and the Vitality Roses will battle for the Jean Hornsby Cup, named in honour of the first black, England netball player, who has helped to create history and pave the way for many women who have played the sport of netball.
Tricia Robinson, president of Netball Jamaica, said: “Netball Jamaica is pleased to be playing in the Vitality Netball Legends Series and to be vying for the Jean Hornsby Cup. There is disappointment in playing behind closed doors. However, it is great to be back on court participating in International Netball Competition, having last competed in January in the Nations Cup.”
Fran Connolly, CEO of England Netball, commented: “We are absolutely delighted to announce that international netball will once again be showcased on home soil. After an incredibly tough year for not only netball, but all sport, we didn’t know if this series would be possible.
“Whilst this series will look different from what we’re used to, without fans in attendance, we know that the netball family will be cheering on the Vitality Roses from homes across the country.
“A tremendous amount of work and effort has gone into making this possible, and we will be following extensive medical guidance and ensuring strict safety protocols are in place throughout for the safety of all involved. There’s still a lot of work to do, but we are so pleased to be able to get this series agreed.
“Thank you to everyone at England Netball for their tireless work, Public Health England for their ongoing guidance and Netball Jamaica for making this happen. Plus, a huge thank you to the netball family for their ongoing support and for helping netball to #Riseagain.”
The series will be covered live by Sky Sports, and the dates, venues and times for the matches will be announced ahead of the start of the series.