Commonwealth Games 2026: England thrash Northern Ireland for opening netball win in Glasgow

England opened their Commonwealth Games netball campaign with a comprehensive 83-34 victory over Northern Ireland in Pool A.

The 2018 champions flew into a 24-7 lead before Northern Ireland managed to slow England’s scoring.

However, the Warriors were unable to overcome the gulf as third-ranked England took the opportunity to rotate their squad in the second half.

Experienced shooter Eleanor Cardwell came on after half-time to score 35 of her 37 shots, a higher amount than the Northern Ireland team combined, as England’s class told.

The Roses are seeking to regain the title they won in the Gold Coast after failing to make the podium four years later in Birmingham, but have experienced a rocky build-up to the competition.

Only two of the Roses’ 12-player squad have experience in the Commonwealth Games – Cardwell and Imogen Allison – after injuries to gold medallists Helen Housby and Natalie Metcalf, who withdrew with a calf injury on Monday.

The side’s head coach Jess Thirlby stepped down from the role in March because of family reasons, leaving assistant Anna Stembridge to take interim charge for a second spell after a stint as head coach from 2011-2015.

England will next play reigning champions Australia, who stormed to a 99-38 victory over Tonga, at 11:00 BST on Sunday.

Hosts Scotland fell to a 74-44 Pool B defeat by 2022 bronze medallists New Zealand in the opening match of the competition.