Vitality Roses Level Series with Commanding Win

First game win for The Vitality Roses levels the test series

Spar Proteas 49-61 Vitality Roses

Following a loss in the opening test against South Africa, England arrived looking for a tactical shift to secure the win. Vitality Roses head coach Jess Thirlby made three changes to the starting seven, signaling a push for greater consistency.

South Africa took the first center pass of the afternoon, quickly converting it into the opening goal. England responded through Helen Housby, who scored from an early penalty. However, South Africa forced a turnover early in the first quarter, carving out a two-goal lead.

As the quarter progressed, Funmi Fadoju and Zara Adio utilized their London Pulse connection to pressure the South African shooting duo of Smith and Venter. Despite this, a few unforced errors and a brief lapse in concentration allowed South Africa to build a five-point lead with five minutes remaining in Q1. England adjusted their strategy just in time, fighting back to level the score at 13-13 by the first break.

At the start of the second quarter, South Africa regained momentum, forcing turnovers to go two goals up. After a period of goal-for-goal play, South Africa found a rhythm that extended their lead to six. With Housby looking under pressure in the circle, the scoring burden began to shift toward Liv Tchine.

Midway through the second quarter, Thirlby substituted Adio for Razia Quashie (or Brown) at goalkeeper. This tactical shift, combined with Fadoju "going hunting" for the ball, allowed England to create crucial turnovers. They successfully reduced the deficit to just one goal, ending the first half trailing 27-26.

The third quarter saw a dramatic shift. While South Africa initially pushed their lead back out to eight goals, England’s midcourt intensified their defensive pressure. South Africa attempted three defensive substitutions to stem the tide, but unforced errors crept into their game. England capitalized ruthlessly, not only closing the gap but eventually surging into a 10-point lead.

With eight minutes remaining in the match, South Africa brought Nicola Smith back on to disrupt the English attack, but the plan failed to materialize. A knock to Housby with six minutes to go forced England into three tactical changes: Amy Carter entered at center, Lois Pearson moved to goal attack, and Jess Shaw shifted to wing attack. This movement allowed Tchine to drive out of the circle more effectively, creating the space needed for Pearson to exploit the backline.

In the final four minutes, Nat Metcalf replaced Shaw to provide veteran composure. Under this new structure, Tchine remained cool, calm, and collected. England closed out the game with a dominant performance, winning by 12 goals with a final score of 49-61.

Captain Fran Williams was named Player of the Match for her relentless defensive pressure throughout the court. With the series now leveled at 1-1, all eyes turn to tomorrow’s decider. Will South Africa reclaim the lead, or can England secure back-to-back wins to take the series at the start of this Commonwealth Games year?