Jess Thirlby has resigned as head coach of England Netball four months before the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Assistant coach Anna Stenbridge was head coach from 2011 to 2015, during which time she led the team to gold at the 2011 Liverpool World Netball Series, and will take over as head coach during the competition, which runs from July 25 to August 2.
Thirlby, who replaced Tracy Neville in July 2019, said in a statement that he was stepping down to focus on supporting his family.
“I regret to share my decision to step down as head coach of England Netball with immediate effect,” Thirlby said in a statement.
“It was an incredible six-and-a-half years to be the Roses’ head coach for the longest time, and it was the greatest honor. I’m extremely proud of what we achieved together, especially the historic World Cup silver medal we fought so hard for, which culminated in us finishing second in the world rankings.”
“The dedication, passion and excellence shown by this team is nothing short of an inspiration. No matter how much we love what we do, we are all still human. This is not a decision I ever thought I would have to make, but I need to turn my attention to supporting my wonderful family.”
“On reflection, I made the mistake of not treating my father’s death as a priority and instead traveled with the team to the World Cup and subsequent series in New Zealand with no regrets. Everything I have done since then has been to prioritize England Rose and with this in mind, I feel it is best for me and my family to step down as head coach now.”
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During his tenure, Thirlby led England to a historic silver medal at the 2023 World Cup and then won the 2025 Netball Nations Cup.
She previously coached Team Bath and Celtic Dragons and represented England as a player.
England Netball CEO Fran Connolly said: “I would like to thank Jess for her time as head coach and for the dedication and contribution she has shown to the program and the wider game over the past six-and-a-half years.”
“During her tenure, the team reached the historic finals of the Netball World Cup, won multiple series and recorded wins against every country ranked in the top five in the world.
“We are grateful for the leadership and professionalism that Jess has consistently shown, and for the significant contributions she has made to the continued growth and development of the Roses program. We wish Jess and her family the best for the future.”
“We now look forward to building on these strong foundations as Vitality Roses enters the next phase of its journey.”
Jess Thirlby led England to silver medal at the 2023 World Cup
Former Roses captain Olivia Murphy will join England’s set-up as assistant coach on secondment from Loughborough Sports, while former Australian Diamonds captain Sharni Leighton will continue as specialist coach and she will be joined by 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Joe Harten.
England, winners of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, enter this year’s Games looking to get back into medal contention after losing in the 2022 bronze medal match.
“Looking ahead to the Commonwealth Games, I am proud of the foundations we have built together,” Thirlby added. “The outstanding systems, structure and culture we have developed have created a strong and resilient team that can compete with the best teams on the international stage.
“The efforts of our players and staff have been exceptional and I know that the team will approach the Olympics with dedication and belief. I am confident that the team is in a good position and is well prepared for the next stage of its journey.”
“This will continue the incredible momentum we have built and allow our team to best prepare for the Olympics.”
Thirlby described his time as Roses head coach as the “most rewarding” period of his professional career.
