England beat New Zealand by one goal in a tight match to reach the final of the Vitality Nations Cup, where they will meet world No.1’s, Australia, who continued their unbeaten run in the competition - beating Uganda 63-49 in their semi-final.
At a packed First Direct Arena, in Leeds, the Roses edged a thrilling 58-57 victory in a match which ebbed and flowed. But it was England who had just enough to see out the victory against New Zealand, who are ranked second in the world - ahead of England in third.
The contest was the latest in a series of thrilling matches between the Roses and the Silver Ferns and, having both lost to 12-time world champions Australia last weekend in London, both sides knew they had to win it to book a place in the final. With Head Coach, Jess Thirlby, opting for a youthful team, the return of England's experienced players, plus the return of prolific New Zealand shooter Grace Nweke, who was injured for much of last year, meant that it was always going to be a tight match.
As New Zealand managed to close the gap to one, with minutes on the clock, the Roses remained composed to the final whistle to ensure a brilliant victory and another tight encounter with the Australian Diamonds – who, earlier in the day, and already sure of their place in the final after two wins in London last week, faced Uganda for the first time in their history, beating them 63-49.
Despite the win, Coach Jess expressed her disappointment in her team’s performance despite their challenge. Following her team’s win, a more circumspect Australian Head Coach, Stacey Marinkovich, said: “It’s been a challenge, but I’m really pleased with how they’ve gone about their business”. The Diamonds take on England in a repeat of the World Cup final, after New Zealand face Uganda in their third-place play-off.