Diamonds retain netball No. 1 ranking as England bump New Zealand
AUSTRALIA is the first country to qualify for next year’s world championships in the UK as England moved into the top two on the world netball rankings for the first time in history.
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AUSTRALIA is the first country to qualify for next year’s world championships in the UK as England moved into the top two on the world netball rankings for the first time in history.
Australia returned its top ranking despite losing to England in the gold medal decider at the Commonwealth Games - a result which has lifted England above the New Zealand netball team and into second place on the rankings for the first time in history.
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As hosts of the next world championships, England have a guaranteed spot at the event.
But the first five automatic qualifiers have been determined by the latest rankings.
Australia will be joined by New Zealand, now ranked third after a disastrous 12 months which saw them leave the Commonwealth Games with a medal for the first time ever.
have always occupied the top two spots but England claimed a stunning Commonwealth Games gold medal at Gold Coast 2018 in April.
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New Zealand, who lost to England and Malawi in the group stage and then hosts Australia in the semi-finals, could not even claim the bronze medal.
Fourth ranked Jamaica, fifth ranked South Africa and sixth ranked Malawi, who beat New Zealand for the first time in a pool match at the Game, have also confirmed their places at the world championships.