England’s netball team will compete against Australia for the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games this morning following their semi-final defeat to New Zealand. The Roses fell 54-61 to the Silver Ferns in a match where the scoreline was seen as somewhat flattering, with New Zealand demonstrating clear dominance throughout. England had narrowed the gap to four goals just before halftime, but the contest shifted decisively in New Zealand’s favor early in the third quarter.

New Zealand will now face Jamaica in the gold medal match scheduled for 1 p.m. Meanwhile, England’s bronze medal contest against Australia comes after the Diamonds suffered a surprising 45-46 loss to Jamaica in their semi-final. England had also missed out on a bronze medal in the previous Commonwealth Games, adding extra significance to today’s match.

The English team has faced a challenging build-up to the Games, including the resignation of coach Jess Thirlby and the injury of key player Helen Housby. Current coach Anna Stembridge highlighted the team’s resilience amid these difficulties and emphasized the opportunity the bronze medal match presents. “There’s still a chance to win a medal and that’s an exciting opportunity. This team has shown resilience through so many curveballs,” Stembridge said.

Looking ahead to the match against Australia, Stembridge indicated that the team would analyze both their strengths and the opposition’s tactics in preparation. “We’ll look at what we can take forward, what’s worked really well for us. Then we’ll look at the points of difference of the opposition. We’ll throw everything we have at it,” she added.

The bronze medal showdown promises to be a competitive encounter between two traditional netball powerhouses, each seeking to end the tournament with a podium finish.