Jess Thirlby says everyone at Team Bath Netball is “over the moon” for Stacey Francis after the defender was named in England’s 12-player squad for the Netball World Cup in Australia. Francis – who won her 50th international cap last month – is joined in the squad by seven former Team Bath players, including captain Geva Mentor and vice-captain Pamela Cookey. And Team Bath Head Coach Thirlby says the selection is just reward for Francis,...
Team Bath Netball’s Stacey Francis had double cause for celebration over the weekend as she won her 50th international cap and helped England reclaim the Netball Europe Open trophy. Club colleague Sam Cook also played a key role as England completed their warm-up for this summer’s Netball World Cup with convincing victories over Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Team Bath's Claire Brownie and Kyra Jones represented Scotland and Wales respectively, with the latter finishing runner-up...
Stacey Francis made a winning return to action as the Team Bath Netball defender helped England wrap up a 3-0 series whitewash of Trinidad & Tobago. Francis missed the last month of the Superleague season and the first two matches of the Test series while she recovered from a knee injury. But she showed she is back to fitness by playing the full 60 minutes of Monday night’s emphatic 69-36 victory at the Echo Arena...
The road to the Netball World Cup starts at the University of Bath on Wednesday night when England take on Trinidad & Tobago. The first encounter in a three-match Test series will get under way at the Sports Training Village at 7.15pm and will be televised on Sky Sports. Team Bath Netball defenders Sam Cook and Stacey Francis will both be looking to impress interim England coach Tracey Neville as the countdown to this summer’s...
Sam Cook, Shaunagh Craig and Rachel Shaw were the main award winners when Team Bath Netball staged their end-of-season dinner on Sunday. All three made strong comebacks from serious injury during the 2015 Superleague campaign, with Craig and Shaw receiving the endeavour award from head coach Jess Thirlby for their determination to rebuild their careers. Popular goal-shooter Craig, who works with schools and clubs in the community, was named as supporters’ player of the year...
Team Bath Netball defender Sam Cook has been rewarded for her impressive return from a serious knee injury by being shortlisted for the Netball Superleague Player of the Season award. The 23-year-old missed the 2014 season following an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction but played every game for the Blue and Gold during 2015 and also gained her first senior England cap against Jamaica. Sky Sports netball experts Anita Navin, Stef Bello and Natalie Seaton said: “Cook...
Team Bath Netball defenders Sam Cook and Stacey Francis have been named in a 12-strong England Netball squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against Trinidad & Tobago. They are joined in the squad by former Team Bath players Sara Bayman, Pamela Cookey, Kadeen and Sasha Corbin, and Rachel Dunn. The opening match of the series, part of the build-up to this summer’s Netball World Cup in Australia, will take place at the University of...
Team Bath Netball head coach Jess Thirlby is determined to finish the Superleague season on a high when Celtic Dragons visit the Sports Training Village for a televised fixture next week. A run of three away defeats in seven days, culminating in Easter Monday’s 51-45 reverse at improving Loughborough Lightning, mean Team Bath will not qualify for the semi-finals for the first time since the Superleague began in 2006. But victory over Welsh franchise Dragons...
Team Bath Netball’s hopes of reaching the Superleague semi-finals are over following a battling 55-44 defeat to Yorkshire Jets on Thursday. Jess Thirlby’s team went to Leeds knowing they must win to keep alive their chances of catching fourth-placed Jets. And the visitors got off to a flying start, racing into a 4-0 lead before Jets hit back to take a 14-11 advantage into the second quarter. Team Bath found themselves 31-22 down at half-time...
Stacey Francis is confident she will be fit for England’s Netball World Cup campaign, despite being ruled out for the remainder of Team Bath Netball’s regular Superleague season. The influential defender sat out Monday night’s 42-33 defeat at Hertfordshire Mavericks after being told she must rest a knee injury. She will also miss Thursday’s must-win trip to fourth-placed Yorkshire Jets, the Easter Monday visit to Loughborough Lightning and the final home game of the Superleague...
