At the 2026 Commonwealth Games, England’s national netball team, the Roses, produced a thrilling second-half turnaround to secure a hard-fought 58-54 victory over South Africa’s Proteas, booking their place in the tournament semi-finals and extending an uninterrupted qualifying streak that stretches back nearly 30 years.
Entering the final Pool A match, both nations sat level on six points, with England holding a narrow advantage over South Africa in goal difference for the second qualifying spot. That meant a loss would have ended England’s tournament, leaving the side with everything to play for from the first whistle.
South Africa got off to a blistering start, with star shooter Elmere van der Berg in imperious early form. She slotted home 16 of her side’s 17 first-quarter goals, opening up a comfortable six-goal lead that put England on the back foot and facing an immediate uphill battle to stay in the competition.
The turning point came in the second quarter, when England coach made the call to bring Halimat Adio off the bench into the defensive line. The substitute’s aggressive, high-intensity defensive display immediately disrupted South Africa’s attacking rhythm, creating multiple opportunities for England to launch fast counter-attacks. By halftime, the Roses had clawed their way back to just a one-goal deficit, trailing 29-28.
England built on that momentum in the third quarter, gradually seizing control of the match and at one point stretching their lead to seven goals. South Africa refused to fold, however, hitting back with three quick goals to cut the deficit heading into the final 15 minutes, with England holding a narrow 43-39 advantage.
The final quarter turned into a tense, end-to-end battle, with both sides matching each other goal for goal – both notching 15 goals in the closing stanza. England held firm under pressure, though, protecting their lead to seal the four-goal win. The result preserves England’s unmatched record of qualifying for every Commonwealth Games netball semi-final since the sport was introduced to the program in 1998, while South Africa will continue its 28-year wait for a return to the semi-final stage.
England’s victory was built on a dominant shooting performance, with Olivia Tchine netting an incredible 41 goals from 43 attempts, while Lois Pearson added 17 goals to the final score. Adio, who plays her club netball alongside England defender Funmi Fadoju at London Pulse, formed a formidable defensive partnership that shut down South Africa’s attack after her introduction, and earned widespread praise from her captain after the match.
“I feel like she was unreal for us from that second quarter,” England skipper Fran Williams told TNT Sports. “So proud of her, bringing that energy to get us back in the game when we needed it.”
Williams acknowledged that the side has operated under sustained pressure all week to perform and challenge for a medal, but praised her side’s ability to grind out the result against a determined South African side. “So for us to be able to finish out a game like that, riding the wave of goal for goal and to come out on top, just so proud of the team,” she added. “We don’t shy away from pressure. We are the first people to put the pressure on ourselves because we know what we are capable of in our own environment. We’ve got so many young heads out there that are showing experience way beyond their years. I just want to try and be that rock for them and let the others shine around me.”
The semi-final line-up is as expected, with the world’s four top-ranked netball nations all progressing to the final four. Reigning and four-time champions Australia, ranked world number one, enter the semi-finals as the clear team to beat. They will face fifth-ranked Jamaica, the 2022 silver medalists who have claimed bronze three times in the competition’s history and have never won a Commonwealth gold.
In the other semi-final, England (ranked third globally) will face second-ranked New Zealand, a two-time Commonwealth champion that last claimed gold with back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2010. New Zealand beat England in the 2022 bronze medal match, setting up a tantalizing rematch for a place in the 2026 gold medal final.
The semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday, 1 August, with England facing New Zealand kicking off at 09:00 BST, followed by Australia against Jamaica at 13:00 BST. The bronze medal match will take place on Sunday, 2 August at 09:00 BST, with the gold medal final following at 13:00 BST the same day.