Watch every match of the Vitality Netball World Cup 2019 live on Sky Sports from July 12-21
Monday 8 July 2019 17:07, UK
As the Vitality Netball World Cup 2019 draws ever closer, we run the rule over every side that will be taking to court at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.
iThe competition starts on Friday, July 12 and you can watch every match of the tournament live on Sky Sports.
This will be the 15th edition of netball's pinnacle tournament and it will be the third time England has played host after the inaugural competition in 1963 and Birmingham in 1995.
In total 16 teams will contest for the ultimate prize so scroll down to find out a little more about each one of them.
Australia won the first world tournament in Eastbourne and have been the most successful side in the competition's history by winning 11 of the 14 editions. The side have never finished lower than second.
In 2015 it was a Trans-Tasman final with the Australian Diamonds prevailing 58-55 over the Silver Ferns. Head coach Lisa Alexander took the reins of the national team back in 2011 and her vast experience will look to try and bring about a third successive title, this July.
Squad: Caitlin Bassett (Captain), April Brandley, Kelsey Browne, Courtney Bruce, Paige Hadley, Sarah Klau, Jamie-Lee Price, Caitlin Thwaites, Gretel Tippett, Liz Watson (Vice-captain), Jo Weston, Steph Wood.
Northern Ireland's line-up may well feature many familiar faces from the Vitality Netball Superleague with the likes of London Pulse's Fionnuala Toner, Saracens Mavericks' Michelle Drayne and Manchester Thunder's Caroline O'Hanlon.
The team's head coach, Dan Ryan, is another very recognisable individual in the world of netball and his expertise should have paid dividends during the build-up for this competition. The fact their first match of the tournament is against Ryan's native Australia, adds a touch of extra spice too!
Squad: Lisa Bowman, Niamh Cooper, Shaunagh Craig, Ciara Crosbie, Michelle Drayne, Gemma Lawlor, Emma Magee, Michlle Magee, Lisa McCaffrey, Caroline O'Hanlon (Captain), Fionnuala Toner (Vice-captain), Neamh Woods.
Zimbabwe's appearance in Liverpool marks a seminal moment for the outfit as it will be their first time on the Netball World Cup stage.
In the African Regional Qualifier their 58-42 victory over Kenya ultimately secured them the second qualifying spot behind Uganda. A series of friendly matches against the She Cranes will have been an integral part of their build-up as they look to make the step up before facing more of the best in the world in July.
You have to go back to 1963 for Sri Lanka's best tournament finish - ninth in the world's first Netball World Cup. Now, 56 years on, their work is masterminded by coach Jinadasa. Also, on court circle-defender Chathurangi Jayasooriya is one of their most experienced members and keen to drive their charge. Jayasooriya combines her sport with a career as a a Commissioned Officer in the Air Force.
Squad: Darshika Abeywickram, Gayanjali Amarawansa, Deepika Darshani, Dulanga Dhananji, Gayani Dissanayake, Chathurangi Jayasooriya (Captain), Hasitha Mendis, Nauchalee Rajapakse, Elilenthini Sethukavalar, Tharjini Sivalingam, Dulangi Wannithilake, Thilini Waththegedara
The Silver Ferns have won four Netball World Cup tournaments in their time, the last in 2003, and have no less than eight runners-up placings to their name. After not reaching the heights they wanted to at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 - a fourth-place finish was their worst ever - Noeline Taurua was installed as the 11th Silver Ferns coach in August of that year.
The former GA knows what the World Cup stage is all about having played in the 1995 edition and is doing things her way. A pre-competition warm-up tournament will include a face-off with New Zealand's men's invitational side.
Squad: Karin Burger, Gina Crampton, Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Maria Folau, Phoenix Karaka, Casey Kopua, Laura Langman (Captain), Bailey Mes, Katrina Rore, Shannon Saunders, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Jane Watson.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games the Malawi Queens beat the Silver Ferns 57-53 and as fate would have it, the Silver Ferns are the side that they will face first up in Liverpool.
Back at the last edition of the Netball World Cup, the Queens finished in sixth so those around them in Group B will be well aware of their ability to orchestrate victories. Head coach Saenda has said that he will "look at players and possibly bring in newcomers" for the competition so keep watching this space.
Squad: Jane Chimaliro, Joana Kachilika, Alinafe Kamwala, Bridget Kumwenda, Takondwa Lwanzi, Caroline Mtukule, Joyce Mvula, Grace Mwafulirwa, Laureen Ngwira, Thandie Saenda, Sindi Simutowe, Towera Vinkhumbo.
Barbados secured their place at next year's World Cup in the final of the Regional Qualifier - Americas. They were beaten just once there, by Trinidad and Tobago in the last match of the competition, to take the second of the two qualification spots. The national side have been a part of eight World Cup competitions before and their best finish came back in 1986 when they ended up in joint-sixth with the Cook Islands.
Squad: Shonette Azore-Bruce, Samantha Browne, Latonia Blackman (Vice-captain), Damisha Croney (Captain), Rieah Holder, Brianna Holder, Amanda Knight, Rhe-Ann Niles-Mapp, Tonisha Rock-Yaw, Shonte Seale, Sheniqua Thomas, Shonica Wharton.
Singapore's route to Liverpool saw them arrive through the Asian Regional Qualifier as they finished second behind Sri Lanka. This will be their 10th World Cup competition in total and they are led on court from their shooting circle by their centurion, and captain, Charmaine Soh. Most recently they finished the 2011 tournament in 15th. The team's head coach is New Zealander Natalie Milicich, who took over back in September 2017 and works with assistant coach Yeo Mee Hong.
Squad: Aqilah Andin, Carmen Goh, Charmaine Soh, Joanna Toh, Kimberly Lim, Kwok Shuyi, Lee Pei Shan, Melody Teo, Sindhu Nair, Siti Nurshawallah, Tan Xin Yi, Toh Kai Wei.
Of the top five sides in the International Netball Federation, Jamaica are the one fans in England will have seen least of in the build-up... that will not make them any less for a threat for the title, though. Why? Well, because the winners of the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 have a squad that is packed with talent.
It's a squad that's been hailed by their director of netball, Simone Forbes as one of their "most complete" and she helped the Sunshine Girls to back-to-back bronze medals in 2003 and 2007 so she knows exactly what she's talking about.
Squad: Romelda Aiken, Shanice Beckford, Kodie-Ann Dehaney, Nicole Dixon, Stacian Facey, Jhaniele Fowler (Captain), Rebekah Robinson, Shamera Sterling, Adean Thomas, Jodi-Ann Ward, Vangelee Williams (Vice-captain), Khadijah Williams.
In the most-recent Quad Series, Norma Pummer's side highlighted their considerable firepower with a victory over England and the host nation of the Netball World Cup 2023 will be eager to make a statement in Liverpool. With the former Australian Diamonds coach Plummer steering the ship, she knows a thing or two about World Cups having won two, the SPAR Proteas are a side to watch out for. Wasps Netball's Bongiwe Msomi will captain the side at her third tournament and watch out for defender Karla Pretorius too!
Squad: Erin Burger, Khanyisa Chawane, Maryka Holtzhausen, Phumza Maweni, Bongiwe Msomi (Captain), Izette Griesel, Leinze Potgieter, Karla Pretorius, Renske Stoltz, Shadine Van der Merwe, Sigi Burger, Zanele Vimbela.
"Netball is Art, the court is my canvas," that's the motto of Trinidad and Tobago's Kalifa McCollin and her perspective is shared across the side known as The Calypso Girls. Aerial netball, flair and fun are three words that you will most definitely associate with them.
They are the only team other than Australia and New Zealand to have won a Netball World Cup, back in 1979 when they shared the title with Australia and New Zealand, and high placings (third and equal second) followed suit in 1983 and 1987. Since, the heights have not quite been met but don't discount them this time around.
Squad: Aniecia Baptiste, Candice Guerero, Onella Jack-Hill, Tahirah Hollingsworth, Jameela McCarthy, Kalifa McCollin, Shaquanda Greene, Rhonda John-Davis, Shantel Seemungal, Shernece Seemungal, Daystar Swift, Samantha Wallace.
The team will get a chance to test themselves against the Silver Ferns at the end of July before their opening match of the tournament is against the Sunshine Girls on Friday, July 12.
Head coach Vicki Wilson is a former Australian shooter (and Ferns assistant) so the Fiji Pearls have a wealth of knowledge in their corner. In total, six members of their squad were in the side that finished fourth in the Netball World Youth Cup in Botswana in 2017.
Squad: Adi Vakaoca Bolakoro, Kaitlyn Fisher, Aliso Galo, Episake Kahatoka, Ema Mualuvu, Alisi Nawele, Kelera Nawai, Lydia Panapasa, Unaisi Rauluni, Asilika Sevutia, Aliti Toribau, Matila Vocea, Laisani Waqa, Merelita Waqanidrola, Matila Waqawai.
The hosts arrive at this tournament with a Commonwealth Games gold medal in their pockets and a target on their backs - every team will be going at them. Since they shook-up the world order on the Gold Coast, netball in England has gone from strength to strength and head coach Neville will know managing the psychological side of this competition will be as critical as the physical side.
Squad: Jade Clarke (Vice-captain), Rachel Dunn, Layla Guscoth, Serena Guthrie (Captain), Joanne Harten, Natalie Haythornthwaite, Helen Housby, Geva Mentor, Natalie Panagarry.Chelsea Pitman, Eboni Usoro-Brown, Francesca Williams.
The Uganda She Cranes toured England at the end of last year and faced the tournament hosts in a three-Test series. Despite not winning a Test, the team made plenty of fans with their considerable endeavour and the way in which they matched-up against the Commonwealth Games champions. The She Cranes' preparations for this competition included a series of friendly games against Zimbabwe and fans of the sport will certainly enjoy the work of the world-class Peace Proscovia in their shooting circle.
Squad: Jesca Achan, Lilian Ajio, Mary Cholhok, Betty Kizza, Muhaimuna Naamuwaya, Joan Nampugu, Stella Nanfuka, Racheal Nanyonga, Sylivia Nanyonga, Stella Oyella, Peace Proscovia, Meeme Ruth.
The majority of Scotland's side will be very familiar to viewers of the Vitality Netball Superleague with the presence of Strathclyde Sirens in the competition. Head coach Gail Parata also leads them from a national perspective and will be looking to make the added court-time that her players have had together count. The side finished ninth at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and navigated their way through extra-time to beat Barbados 50-48.
Squad: Emma Barrie, Kelly Boyle, Lynsey Gallagher, Ella Gibbons, Bethan Goodwin, Sarah MacPhail, Claire Maxwell (Captain), Niamh McCall, Nicola McCleery, Hayley Mulheron, Emily Nicholl, Lauren Tait .
Samoa came through the Oceania Qualifying tournament and did not drop a match against the Cook Islands, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Fiji. The side finished that competition with a 54-43 victory over Fiji and will be looking to build on a 11th-place finish in Sydney four years ago. They have been present at seven World Cup competitions to date and sixth position is their highest tournament finish.
Squad: Afi Lafaiali'i-Sapolu, Ann Helen Nu'uali'ita, Ariana Luamanu, Brooke Amber Williams, Eseta Autagavaia, Gene Solia-Gibb, Lenora Misa, Rachel Rasmussen, Sanita To'o, Soli Ropati, Tee Salanoa, Toa Tanimo.
**All Rankings based on matches up to June, 30 2019**
Watch every match of the Vitality Netball World Cup 2019 live on Sky Sports. Coverage starts on Friday, July 12 plus keep up to date with all of the latest competition news, results and enjoy in-depth features at skysports.com/netball.
