Netball Quad Series: Everything you need to know

Helen Housby (England), Gina Crampton (New Zealand), Liz Watson (Australia), Bongi Msomi (South Africa)

It has been 1,092 days since the last Quad Series was contested between England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa - four of the best sides in the world.

Inevitably, talk surrounding the four-team competition has been overshadowed with speculation about Commonwealth Games preparation.

With all four countries gunning for medals in Birmingham this summer, along with eight other nations, England will defend the Commonwealth gold medal they won on Australia's Gold Coast in 2018.

However, the Roses have never won a Quad Series, although this one feels less about winning and more about finding their best starting seven, building some momentum and checking out the opposition before the main event in August.

So what's in store for netball's long-awaited series at the Copper Box Arena in London?

It's been a long two years

Australia won the Quad Series back in January 2019 and came runners-up in the 2019 World Cup, but since then they have not played much in the way of competitive international netball.

The other three sides are facing the prospect of a new Diamonds outfit, one which has a new coach in Stacey Marinkovich - who replaced Lisa Alexander in 2020 - as well as a new captain in Liz Watson and some fresh faces.

The Diamonds, who have won four of the last five Quad Series', will miss the experience of shooter Caitlin Bassett due to injury, while Kiera Austin is also out, Gretel Bueta is returning from having a baby and Watson herself is back from an ankle injury.

Familiar faces including Courtney Bruce - arguably the best goalkeeper in the world - and goal defence Jo Weston are likely to be key players for the Diamonds, but where many players have no set position, it will be difficult to know what to expect from the defending champions.

The New Zealand Silver Ferns side that play Australia on Saturday in their opening match are much changed from that which won the World Cup in 2019.

And the Roses will take comfort in the fact that they have beaten the Silver Ferns recently, but it was the Ferns' patience and discipline which prevented England from taking a clean sweep in the series.

Promising shooter Tiana Metuarau had a dream debut in the opening match of that series and could cause more problems this time around alongside experienced players Gina Crampton and Phoenix Karaka.

South Africa's SPAR Proteas come into this series as underdogs, with a new head coach in Dorette Badenhorst - who replaced Norma Plummer in 2019 - and the notable absence of Karla Pretorius, 2019 World Cup player of the tournament.

But with experienced heads Phumza Maweni and Izette Griezel, as well as captain Bongi Msomi, the Proteas will be a tough nut to crack.

Not forgetting that it was South Africa who upset the Roses in the last Quad Series, there could be unfinished business here as England look for revenge.

Harten out, so who's in?

The biggest news to come out of the Roses camp since the squad came together is that Jo Harten, one half of England's prolific Commonwealth gold-winning shooting duo, will miss the series after testing positive for coronavirus.

The other half of that partnership, Helen Housby, played in 25 of England's 28 quarters across the Gold Coast games and famously scored the winning goal to clinch the gold medal against Australia.

A blend of youth and experience is evident throughout the squad but, with no Harten, it falls to less experienced shooters Ellie Cardwell, George Fisher and Sophie Drakeford-Lewis to take their opportunity to impress head coach Jess Thirlby and secure a coveted spot in the Birmingham squad.

Also vying for position are mid-courters Laura Malcolm, Imogen Allison and Beth Cobden, who all impressed in the Superleague last season, but whom face stern competition in the experience of Jade Clarke, Natalie Metcalf and captain Serena Guthrie.

"The squad is in a better place now than before the last Commonwealths, we have more depth in the squad now," Housby told BBC Sport.

"We don't want to have just been known for winning that one gold medal. We were always known as 'the bronze medal side', but we want to be consistently competitive."

• Geva Mentor still wants to 'break history' with Roses

Thirlby's first real test

The Roses have had the advantage of being able to spend solid time in preparation camps and Thirlby's side have started to gather some early momentum after making history to defeat the Silver Ferns for the first time ever in New Zealand and sealing victory over Jamaica on home soil.

Since picking up the baton from Tracey Neville after the World Cup in 2019, Thirlby has had to deal with a disrupted calendar and a lack of consistency in players at her disposal.

"We had an eye on this series being the one where we would have everyone available to us, ironically the last one before the Commonwealths. [But] I haven't really ever had the whole team," she admitted.

After winning gold at the 2018 Games, netball was catapulted onto the national stage, with increasing participation numbers, media coverage and, with that, the expectation of more silverware. Before that England had never managed to break the mould and knock Australia or New Zealand off their lofty perch.

This will be Thirlby's first encounter as head coach against netball powerhouse Australia - and her first chance to make history by winning a series that has always eluded the Roses.

"I don't shy away from the expectation of the team and the nation for us to win trophies," she added.

"I genuinely believe we've got a generation of players who can sustain winning. We have a genuine place around the table and are starting to be respected by other nations around the world."

A win in this series would raise that expectation again and, with the opportunity for back-to-back Commonwealth titles, Thirlby has a chance no England coach has had before to cement the Roses' place around that table.

Series schedule

January, all times GMT (all matches at Copper Box Arena, London)

Saturday 15

England v South Africa (14:00)

New Zealand v Australia (16:15)

Sunday 16

Australia v South Africa (14:00)

England v New Zealand (16:15)

Tuesday 18

South Africa v New Zealand (17:30)

England v Australia (19:30)

Wednesday 19

Third v Fourth (17:30)

Final (19:30)