Vitality Roses coaching team confirmed ahead of Vitality Netball Nations Cup

Anna Stembridge has been appointed Assistant Coach until the Netball World Cup in 2027, whilst Sharni Norder will join the Vitality Roses coaching team as a Specialist Coach for the Vitality Netball Nations Cup.

The Vitality Netball Nations Cup will be held on 1-2 and 8-9 February in Nottingham and London, and will see the Vitality Roses face South Africa, Malawi and Uganda across two weekends of competition. Vitality Roses Head Coach Jess Thirlby will be joined by Anna Stembridge, who has been appointed Assistant Coach through to the Netball World Cup in 2027, and Sharni Norder who will take on the role of Specialist Coach during the Series.

Having stepped into the role of Vitality Roses Assistant Coach during the inaugural Vitality Netball Horizon Series and the 2024 Taini Jamison Trophy, this announcement sees Stembridge join the Vitality Roses coaching team on a more permanent basis.

Google Ad Manager – MPU – In Article

Vitality Roses Head Coach Jess Thirlby said: “It’s exciting, and a really important appointment for the team who deserve and need the best possible coaches as we journey to the Netball World Cup in 2027. Anna’s a credible coach having been here and done it before, she understands the global landscape that we’re operating in, and we’ve worked together before so there is a real level of respect between us. We feel very aligned whilst inviting each other to challenge our thinking and we enjoy the points of difference we bring with regards to our respective styles and approaches. Our relationship as coaches is built on trust, and I think the team will benefit from that.”

Stembridge brings extensive experience coaching both the Vitality Roses and in the Netball Super League (NSL) to the role, most recently in the Vitality Netball Horizon Series which saw England compete at home and away against Jamaica. Stembridge was also as part of the Vitality Roses coaching team for the 2024 Taini Jamison Trophy which saw England win the series for only the second time ever, and for the first time winning in New Zealand in the first two games of a three-match test series.

Alongside these more recent achievements, Stembridge also earned 45 caps as a player for Wales and held the position of Vitality Roses Assistant Coach from 2008 to 2011, before stepping into the Head Coach role between 2011 and 2015. As Assistant Coach, Stembridge was part of the coaching team who won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 and a bronze medal at the Netball World Championships in Singapore in 2011. As England Head Coach she went on to lead the team to a historic first ever series win against Australia in 2011 followed by a gold medal at the World Netball Series in Liverpool, England’s first ever gold medal on a world stage. In the NSL she is best known for her time at Team Bath, where she was Assistant Coach alongside Jess Thirlby between 2008 and 2010, during which time the team won two Super League titles, and Head Coach from 2015 to 2022. 

Reflecting on her appointment, Stembridge said: “It’s an absolute honour and privilege to be appointed the Vitality Roses Assistant Coach through to the Netball World Cup in 2027. This is an appointment that I don’t take for granted and one which I am very excited about in light of Jess and the team’s big ambitions. The Vitality Roses have been on an incredible journey under Jess’ leadership and I truly look forward to supporting this highly driven and hard-working group of women in their pursuit to take their game to the next level.”

In addition to Anna’s appointment, former Australian Diamond Sharni Norder has also been appointed as Specialist Coach for the duration of the Vitality Netball Nations Cup. Norder is a celebrated player and coach, having earned 46 caps for the Australian Diamonds over a decorated playing career that saw her win Commonwealth Games gold in 2014 and win the Netball World Cup in 2015. She returns to this role following a successful stint as Specialist Coach for the Vitality Roses during the three-match test series played in Australia in September 2024, which saw England secure their first win against Australia in Australia since 2018 in the second test match.

Commenting on her role, Norder said: “I’m excited to be back involved with Jess, Anna and the Vitality Roses cohort as a Specialist Coach for the Vitality Netball Nations Cup. My role is to continue to help the defenders upskill individually and become unbreakable as a unit. They’re hard working, adaptable, smart and bring the best out of each other as a unit and I can’t wait to see them showcase their hard work in the upcoming games.”

Vitality Roses Head Coach Jess Thirlby said: “It’s great to welcome Sharni back to support the team having had the chance to work together in Australia earlier this year. She not only brings with her decades of experience of knowing how to win on a global stage, but more recently has honed her skills in specialist defensive coaching for the Melbourne Vixens. Not only did we benefit from her expertise in that area, but her energy and passion spread across the team by her presence helps to reinforce the standards we know we have to reach to get to the top and realise our big ambitions. The collaboration just worked, Sharni fitted in seamlessly and we embraced her as both a coach and an incredible person who holds great integrity, humility and resilience.

“I’m excited to unite as a coaching team of three for the first time and am grateful to have such credible coaches by my side alongside the wider staff team who work tirelessly to support me and the team.”

To keep up with the latest news, make sure to follow @EnglandNetball on X, Instagram and TikTok, and England Netball on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Previous Story Where to watch the Vitality Netball Nations Cup
Next Story England Netball announce KitQueen in partnership with Nike as Official Kit Supplier

You may also like...

Sky Sports set to treble coverage of the Netball Super League in significant new commitment to the sport ahead of historic relaunch

Sky Sports set to treble coverage of the Netball Super League in significant new commitment to the sport ahead of historic relaunch

18th Feb 2025

England win Vitality Netball Nations Cup for the first time after defeating South Africa 61-55 in the final

9th Feb 2025