England star Helen Housby is looking to Vitality Roses to make a statement in the “huge” series against South Africa this week.
The first match against the South African SPAR Proteas in Johannesburg starts on Thursday at 16:00, live Ski Sports YouTube.
Two more games follow on Saturday and Sunday.
“I had experiences that weren’t so fun in South Africa,” Housby said Ski Sports.
“They’ve got great players and they can be super disciplined with the way they play the game and they’re just ranked just below us on the world stage. So it’s always a grudge match whenever we play them.”
“England and South Africa have traditionally been the two teams on the brink of finals and gold medals fighting for their place in world netball.
“I know first-hand how great they can be at home. They always have an amazing crowd. Jo’burg itself is quite difficult to play at times because there’s a bit of elevation that you can feel in your lungs at times.
“But I think the girls are in a really good place and they’re looking pretty sharp, so fingers crossed we can do our best.”
However, she relishes the opportunity. “Great crowd, the arena we’re going to play in, it almost feels like they’re on top of you and the pressure is huge. I love it. I love feeling those big occasions. It’s always super special, but it’s very difficult to come here and play your best. That’s something we’ll definitely strive for,” Housby said.
England are preparing for the Commonwealth Games later in 2026
This series will be vital for England as they prepare for the Commonwealth Games later in 2026
“It’s the last competitive games we’ll be playing (before Glasgow) and it’s against great opposition in a hostile environment. So it really can’t get much better for us. And we’ll probably face teams of this caliber in the Comm Games and under this kind of pressure,” Housby said.
“The start of the year is important for us as we look to move forward and getting some good wins on the board would be huge. But I think more than that, solidifying our combinations and really understanding how we want to play as a team to start 2026 is very important.”
“This is a big moment for us on and off the field.
Watch Vitality Roses vs South Africa live Ski Sports Youtube from 4 pm on Thursday.