Sunshine Girls to renew rivalry with Vitality Roses

NETBALL JAMAICA today announced the dates of the 2025 edition of the Horizon Series, the second staging of a series between the Sunshine Girls and England’s Vitality Roses.

The series, earmarked for four years, has the unique feature of being played across the two countries.

Last year, the series opened with two games inside London’s 02 Arena before coming to Jamaica for two. The order has been reversed this year with games at the NISC on December 6 and 7. The series will then move to the Copper Box Arena in London, England, on December 13 and December 14.

The Horizon Series is now established as a regular fixture on the international netball calendar and builds on the great rivalry between both countries. The 2025 renewal is again expected to be closely contested and could be a prelude to the 2026 Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Sunshine Girls completed a successful 2024 by winning games three and four of the Horizon Series at home in Kingston to take the first edition of the series 2-1. Game one ended in a draw and game two was won by the Roses, to leave the inaugural Rhone-Hornsby Trophy up for grabs until the very final whistle in Jamaica.

The series win elevated the Sunshine Girls to their highest world ranking in six years and was followed by a 3-0 victory against South Africa, again at home in January.

In the last world rankings released by World Netball in June, the Sunshine Girls maintained their number-three ranking behind New Zealand and Australia, sitting only three ranking points behind the former and seven ahead of the Roses, making this upcoming series a pivotal showdown for both sides.

President of Netball Jamaica, Karen Baugh, said: “We are honoured to host the 2025 Horizon Netball Series and look forward to again welcoming the England Roses to Jamaica. Netball fans have been waiting in anticipation of international matches being played here again and we fully expect to fill the National Indoor Sports Centre to capacity. This series will not only showcase the best of international netball, but also promote the growth and development of the sport in Jamaica. We are also happy that the 2025 Away games in the Horizon Series will be played in London which has a large diaspora base and we encourage our family, friends, and fans in England to come out and support us.

“Sunshine Girls head coach, Sasher-Gaye Henry, also pointed to the intense nature of the series.

“Last year was an unforgettable experience for players and spectators alike. We are excited to put our preparation to the test as we know the Vitality Roses are always formidable opponents. The series will be a great opportunity for us to take a look at a mix of players and to fine-tune our approach for the Commonwealth Games. The experience against England is always valuable. We know what we are capable of and what our fans expect.”