England to face Australia in bronze-medal matchImage source, PA MediaImage caption, England were looking to add to their only Commonwealth Games final appearance in 2018, when they won goldByAlex SeftelBBC Sport EnglandPublished1 August 2026, 10:41 BSTUpdated 3 hours agoEngland netballer Eleanor Cardwell insists there is still “so much juice left in the tank” to fight for Commonwealth Games bronze after missing out on a place in the final with defeat by New Zealand.The Roses will play Australia in Sunday’s bronze-medal match (09:00 BST) in Glasgow after losing their semi-final 61-54 to a powerful Silver Ferns side.Jamaica stunned world champions Australia with a seismic 46-45 victory in the other semi-final, as the Diamonds failed to make the final for the first time in the history of the Games.Speaking to BBC Sport after missing out on the gold-medal match, England goal shooter Cardwell reported: “It is really, really frustrating.”I think there are some good things in [Saturday’s performance]. We did have a fightback. There has been times when we’ve just let it get to us and the score get away. I am proud of the fightback, not proud of the score obviously.”We all have so much love for each other that we know we can go out there on court and perform. There is so much juice in this tank, it’s unbelievable. I’m ready to get that bronze medal.”New Zealand passed the ball with great speed and accuracy early on, but England rallied to settle their nerves, with goal shooter Liv Tchine drawing the match level at 3-3.But the prowess of the Silver Ferns and their height advantage through shooter Grace Nweke was too strong as they hit double figures with eight minutes played and held a 16-11 lead at the end of the first quarter at the Hydro.Bringing on Cardwell in place of Tchine towards the end of that quarter gave the Roses a lift, as they upped their intensity in the second period to close the deficit to 25-21.After scoring 23 goals from 23 shots, Nweke missed just before half-time to leave New Zealand leading 29-24, with hope remaining for a comeback for Anna Stembridge’s side.Image source, PA MediaImage caption, New Zealand won netball gold at the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games England had moments of great defensive pressure, but were not as consistent at turning possession into goals, allowing the Silver Ferns to stretch the gap to nine points with 15 minutes left to play.The damage was done by the time the Roses fought to close the gap to seven at the finish, and they will now need to lift themselves for Sunday’s bronze-medal match.Two-time champions New Zealand reached their sixth final and their first since Glasgow 2014, with their last victory coming at the 2010 Games.”Full credit to New Zealand, I feel like they were absolutely amazing today and we were nowhere near our best,” England captain Fran Williams told BBC Sport.”[We have] got to get around each other, not go isolated now and think and dwell too much on that last game because we’ve got a win to get.”It’s what I feel like we deserve and we work so hard for. You want to come away with a medal and we’re still in the race for that so you’ve got to get excited about that.”Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls stun AustraliaImage source, ReutersImage caption, Jamaica made back-to-back Commonwealth Games gold-medal matches and avenged their defeat by Australia in 2022In Saturday’s second semi-final, Jamaica clung on for a remarkable victory as Australia agonisingly missed a shot in the dying seconds which could have taken the match to extra-time.In a repeat of the 2022 gold-medal match, which Australia won by just four points, Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls played with incredible confidence, floating the ball around the court to lead 13-10 at the end of the first quarter.Australia looked rattled and struggled to find their rhythm, with Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and Latanya Wilson defending resolutely to keep hold of their narrow lead with a score of 23-21 at half-time.Jamaica shooter Romelda Aiken-George contributed 20 goals as her side held firm with the match on a knife-edge at 31-28, but a thrilling third quarter saw both sides intercept brilliantly as the Diamonds fought to draw level at 35-35.With the Sunshine Girls having investing so much energy in the match, it was starting to look like Australia’s experience could pull them across the finish line, but the crowd roared behind the underdogs, who pulled 44-41 clear with five minutes left.Jamaica’s impact players were bellowing from the sidelines in tense final moments and the final say fell to substitute Australia attacker Sophie Dwyer, who sent a penalty shot wide.Sasher-Gaye Henry’s team – who have won medals at the last three Commonwealth Games – held on to beat the Diamonds for just the second time in nine attempts in the competition’s history.Related topicsCommonwealth Games
