Alumna Jade Clarke named in England Netball’s World Cup squad

A side profile image of Jade Clarke wearing Loughborough Lightning kit. Two other netballers are in the background of the image. Image courtesy of Still Sport Photography.

Jade Clarke MBE. Image: Still Sport Photography.

Jade Clarke MBE has been selected in the Vitality Roses squad for the upcoming Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa.

Taking place from 28 July to 6 August, the 16th edition of the World Cup will take place in Africa for the first time. 

The 12-player squad features a mixture of experience and youth, with 810 caps shared amongst the group.

Sport and Exercise Science alumna Jade (2006) is England's most-capped player of all time, having reached a milestone 200 caps. 

Since her debut in 2003, she won three medals at the Netball World Cup and four at the Commonwealth Games. She was part of the historic team to win Gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia which also secured the side a prestigious Team of the Year award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. 

Current Loughborough Lightning player, Fran Williams has also been selected, returning for her first major tournament with England since the last World Cup in 2019.

Jess Thirlby, Vitality Roses Head Coach, commented:

“The unveiling of our Roses squad is a hugely exciting moment and the culmination of years of hard work that the players and the wider team have put in to drive the depth and breadth of our talent pool, as well as our performances on the international and domestic stage. 

“This squad strikes a great balance of experience whilst also introducing an exciting point of difference with some of our incredible young talent who are deserving of their place in the squad amongst some of the sport’s longest serving players. Importantly, this team along with our three travelling reserves, speaks to what we believe is one of our greatest strengths – our tactical diversity – and gives us the best chance to counteract those styles of our biggest rivals. 

“The global game has moved on since the last World Cup and now more than ever, the margins between the top nations are at their narrowest. Tournament netball and its conditions are like no other league in the world and it will be important to call upon those varying styles of play within the team in order to help move us closer to breaking into a World Cup final for the first time. 

“The team are highly ambitious, hugely supportive of each other and I trust together we will do whatever we can to perform at our best in Cape Town.” 

The Vitality Roses, who finished third at the 2019 edition in Liverpool, will begin their World Cup campaign against Barbados on Friday 28 July, followed by the Malawi Queens on Saturday 29 July before a Home Nations clash with the Scottish Thistles on Sunday 30 July. 

Their next fixtures in the competition will be determined by their results in the opening stage. The Final will take place on Sunday 6 August. A full guide to how the competition works can be viewed online