Netball World Cup semifinal scores: England vs New Zealand, Australia vs Jamaica live updates and results
England kicked off semifinals day at the Netball World Cup with a stunning 46-40 win over defending champions New Zealand to reach their first ever final in the tournament’s history.
Heading into the final quarter level at 32-32, Helen Housby and Eleanor Cardwell kept their cool in front of goal and substitute Fran Williams provided a crucial interception, to get England across the line and dump out the five-time champions.
Jamaica and Australia will now battle it out in the second semifinal later today for a place in tomorrow’s Cape Town final.
That meeting in South Africa pits Australia against Jamaica, with the Caribbean country heading into the match full of confidence following their 59-48 victory against the Kiwis last time out.
The Sporting News will be providing live commentary, highlights and score updates from both semifinals below.
MORE: Netball World Cup 2023 results: Updated fixtures, scores, standings
England vs New Zealand result
| Final score | |
| England | 46 |
| New Zealand | 40 |
England vs New Zealand live updates, commentary from Netball World Cup semifinal
FULLTIME: England 46-40 New Zealand
England have done it! They reach their first ever World Cup final beating defending champions New Zealand in the process! Tears, cheers and the biggest hugs and embraces you’ll ever see on a court… England Roses have made history!
Join us later for live updates of Australia vs. Jamaica.
59th min: England are being roared on as they extend their lead to four! Housby makes it five! New Zealand have capitulated but England are working their socks off to see this out.
58th min: Housby gets England two ahead shortly after Williams comes in with a huge interception. England go three up! New Zealand on the ropes with two minutes left.
56th min: Cardwell sinks another to hit the 40-point mark for her side. Wilson responds, she has 25 conversions from 25 shots… this is what England are up against. Cardwell does her bit once again to put England in the lead.
53rd min: And just like that New Zealand are level! Housby sticks to her responsibilities to put England back in front. Wilson responds, 38-38.
50th min: New Zealand falling three points behind has seen them up their pace hugely as they bid to close the gap. At 35-37 down the champions buckle in front of goal though and there’s huge cheers from England.
47th min: England go two up right at the start of the decisive quarter! Cardwell makes it 19 conversions from 25 to send them three up!
End of third quarter: England 32-32 New Zealand
Housby gets another for England but a quick New Zealand transition results in the inevitable. With 40 seconds left on the clock England are one down and then Housby pulls off a brilliant shot under pressure with the last throw of the quarter. We’re level again!
43rd min: At 28-28, Cardwell converts but Ekansio immediately responds. A big moment of the quarter sees England give away the ball though and New Zealand counter to take the lead and then they extend their lead to two points.
40th min: Brilliant triangle play from New Zealand results in Ekenasio rounding off a neat move, 25-25. Fresh legs for England with Fran Williams coming on for Guscoth.
36th min: New Zealand won’t roll over though and they’re soon level. Housby keeps her cool to put England 23-22 up before Wilson responds. Housby pulls off a brilliant shot at the other end which has her teammates on the bench up on their feet.
33rd min: Housby gets England back in front with their first attack while New Zealand’s first of the third quarter is wasted. Cardwell pokes it in from close range to give her side a two-goal lead.
End of second quarter: England 20-20 New Zealand
At 20-18, New Zealand count down the clock to get a final score to reduce the gap to one. They then get another and it’s level again! England will be frustrated they allowed their opponents back in in those final 30 seconds.
27th min: England lose possession in the final third but New Zealand can’t take advantage of it in front of goal, Ekenasio not quite finding her best form. The gap is reduced to two.
23rd min: England get to a three-point lead for the first time in the match with things just starting to click. Wilson continues to keep her team in contention though up against a tough England defence.
20th min: New Zealand respond as Wilson continues his impressive streak in front of goal with two quick conversions. Cardwell misses at the other end but gets the rebound to put England 12-11 up.
17th min: Cardwell carries on where she left off with another early goal. Housby then follows up and England have a two-goal lead.
End of first quarter: England 9-8 New Zealand
Cardwell adds another with 30 seconds on the clock to put them back in front before Ameliaranne Ekenasio keeps his nerve to equalise in the final seconds. Nothing to split the teams right now.
13th min: Cardwell and Housby combine to get England back to within one score.
10th min: At 8-5, Layla Guscoth puts in a brilliant block to deny the five-time champions the chance to extend their lead and it’s met with huge cheers from her teammates.
10th min: New Zealand go ahead after some sloppy play at the back and extend their lead to two goals in quick succession through Maia Wilson.
7th min: It’s a bit frantic and everyone’s throwing their bodies at everything. England go 4-3 up and Cardwell looks fired up as she adds another to her tally.
3rd min: Plenty of early pressure from New Zealand with patient build up play around England’s net. Eleanor Cardwell at the other end has all the time in the world to sink home from beneath the net to put England 3-2 up.
We’re underway! Imogen Allison begins the action and within 30 seconds Helen Housby has the ball in the net… her 123rd goal of the tournament.
5 mins to match start: The players are on court and we’re ready to go!
10 mins to match start: New Zealand head coach Dame Noeline Taurua is well aware of the threat of England’s defence and the difficulties they face today.
“I think defensively, one thing that is quite difficult with England is one comes in, then one comes out, then another person comes in – their ability to adapt is really interesting,” she said.
“When it comes down to it, it is going to be about what is in our own systems, our structures to go out there creating ball or turning over ball.”
30 mins to match start: An unchanged team for England… and it’s hardly surprising following their first ever World Cup win over Australia last time out.
And here’s how the Silver Ferns line up…
1 hour to match start: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of today’s first match between England and New Zealand. Can the five-time champions book their spot in another final or will England go a step further than their third-place finish in 2019 and cause an upset?
England vs New Zealand squads
England: Imogen Allison, Eleanor Cardwell, Jade Clarke, Funmi Fadoju, Layla Guscoth, Helen Housby, Laura Malcolm, Geva Mentor, Natalie Metcalf, Chelsea Pitman, Olivia Tchine, Fran Williams
Reserves: Halimat Adio, Amy Carter, Sophie Drakeford-Lewis
New Zealand: Ameliaranne Ekenasio (Captain), Karin Burger, Gina Crampton, Maddy Gordon, Kate Heffernan, Kelly Jury, Phoenix Karaka, Grace Nweke, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Whitney Souness, Jane Watson, Maia Wilson.
Reserves: Tiana Metuarau, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, Sulu Fitzpatrick
Netball World Cup semifinals TV channel, live stream
Here’s how to watch all of the action from today’s matches in some of the major territories:
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| UK | Sky Sports Arena, BBC Two | Sky GO, BBC iPlayer |
| Australia | SBS Viceland | SBS on Demand |
| New Zealand | Sky NZ, Prime | SKY GO, Prime |
| Singapore | — | NetballPass |
UK: The final will be carried across Sky Sports and the BBC, with selected matches also available to stream on the Sky Sports YouTube channel.
Australia: SBS will be showing the final live and free for Australian fans.
New Zealand: Sky and Prime will be airing for the final for free, with Sky chief executive Sophie Moloney calling the World Cup “the pinnacle event for netball”.
Singapore: NetballPass streams all of the action for supporters in Singapore, including live match statistics for viewers who register.