LONDON (Reuters) – England Netball appointed former international Jess Thirlby as head coach on Friday to replace Tracey Neville, who stepped down after the Roses finished third at this month’s World Cup.
Thirlby played for England from 1991-2006, including at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester alongside Neville.
A former England Under-21 head and assistant coach, she worked as assistant and technical coach with the England senior side from 2013-15.
Most recently she was head coach of Team Bath.
“Jess’ thorough understanding of the elite netball landscape and experience of working with some of the Vitality Roses’, both past and present, makes her the perfect fit for this role,” said England Netball CEO Joanna Adams.
Neville, whose twin brother Phil is head coach of England’s women’s soccer team, took the Roses to gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
England are hosts of the next Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)
