The Silver Ferns will come up against a stronger England side than the one they met in October last year, but some big names will still be missing when the teams meet next month.
NZ Silver Ferns v England Roses, Claudelands Arena, Hamilton, New Zealand, 2020. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2020
The Silver Ferns will host the Roses in a three-Test Cadbury Netball Series, with all matches to be played at Christchurch Arena, to minimise additional travel risk.
The first Test is scheduled for September 20, as Netball New Zealand continues to work with the government around the evolving Covid-19 outbreak and alert levels.
England players boarded a flight yesterday morning and will go into managed quarantine in Christchurch.
Following the series England, who are ranked third in the world, plan to extend their tour across the Tasman with matches against the Australian Diamonds.
Fifteen players have been selected to play in New Zealand, but star shooters Joanne Harten and Helen Housby won't feature again in this series.
The pair are playing on opposite sides in Australia's Super Netball grand final this weekend, along with the experienced Natalie Haythornthwaite.
Defender Stacey Francis-Bayman recently finished her Super Netball campaign and the quartet will link up with the Roses for their Australian leg of the tour.
George Fisher, who had a stand-out first season in the ANZ Premiership for the Southern Steel this year, will get plenty of court time for the Roses.
It's an excellent opportunity for Fisher to push her case for a starting spot for the Roses, even when Housby and Harten return.
Shooters Eleanor Cardwell and Sophie Drakeford-Lewis also impressed in last year's Taini Jamison Series and have been named again.
England Roses shooter George Fisher Photo: Photosport Ltd 2020 www.photosport.nz
A huge boost to the side is veteran Geva Mentor, one of the world's finest goal keepers, who finished her Super Netball season a couple of weeks ago. Defender Layla Guscoth also makes a welcome return.
After a long road back from an ACL injury, Beth Cobden has returned to the Roses on the back of a brilliant domestic campaign in the UK, where she was named Player of the Season.
Two of the worlds most capped internationals Serena Guthrie and Jade Clarke, will again provide plenty of experience, while fellow midcourter Laura Malcolm is back again after impressing as co-captain with Guthrie in last year's Taini Jamison series in Hamilton.
It will be the second time the Roses enter into MIQ in New Zealand, after going through the same process last year.
On the eve of the side departing for New Zealand last October, Roses head coach Jess Thirlby tested positive for Covid-19, and had to stay behind in England.
Despite going down 3-nil to the Ferns, the Roses surprised some with just how competitive they were given they were missing all of their Australian based players.
The squad will exit quarantine on the 10th September to allow them to train as a team and prepare for the fixtures at Christchurch Arena, subject to government lockdown levels being reduced in the South Island.
The Silver Ferns might have even less time together as a team, depending on Covid alert levels. A number of key players are also based in Auckland, a focal point of the current outbreak.
With the Commonwealth Games less than a year away, both nations are keen for some competition.
Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennie Wyllie said the latest Covid-19 outbreak added a lot more complexity around organising the Test series.
"We want to ensure our athletes have the best possible opportunities to compete as we head towards the Commonwealth Games in 2022, however the health and safety of our players, administrators and fans is our priority and we will continue to follow all government guidance," Wyllie said.
Thirlby said the tour provided the Roses, who are the Commonwealth Games defending champions, with world-class playing opportunities that were critical to their preparations for Birmingham next year.
England squad for Silver Ferns Tests
George Fisher
Eleanor Cardwell
Sophie Drakeford-Lewis
Laura Malcolm
Serena Guthrie
Jade Clarke
Beth Cobden
Francesca Williams
Layla Guscoth
Geva Mentor
Vicki Oyesola
Imogen Allison
Ella Clark
Rhea Dixon
Hannah Joseph
Cadbury Netball Series - Taini Jamison Trophy
Monday 20 September
Wednesday 22 September
Friday 24 September
