Scotland national netball team
National netball team
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The Scotland national netball team represents Scotland in international netball tournaments such as the Netball World Cup, Netball at the Commonwealth Games and the Netball Europe Open Championships. As of 1 September 2025, Scotland are listed 10th on the World Netball Rankings.[2]
| |||
| Nickname(s) | Scottish Thistles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Netball Scotland | ||
| Confederation | Europe Netball | ||
| Head coach | Kath Tetley | ||
| Asst coach | Lesley MacDonald | ||
| Manager | Karen McElveen | ||
| Co-captains | Iona Christian Emily Nicholl | ||
| World ranking | 10th[1] | ||
| |||
| First international | |||
 England 25–3  ScotlandGEC Ground, Wembley, 7 May 1949 | |||
| Netball World Cup | |||
| 2023 placing | 10th | ||
| Best result | 6th (1971, 1975, 1983) | ||
| Commonwealth Games | |||
| 2026 placing | 8th | ||
| Best result | 8th (2026) | ||
History
Early tests
Scotland made their Test debut on 7 May 1949 with a 25–3 defeat to England. The match was played at the General Electric Company ground on Preston Road, Wembley during the 1949 England Scotland Wales netball series. Scotland also played Wales for the first time on the same day, losing 14–13.[3][4][5][6] On 12 May 1951, Scotland hosted their first home international, defeating Northern Ireland 21–7 in Glasgow. The 1950s saw Scotland play in 20 matches, mainly against England, Northern Ireland and Wales. However, they also played Australia and South Africa for the first time. On 21 April 1956 they lost 7–25 to Australia and on 23 March 1959 they lost 8–31 to South Africa.[6][7]
Netball Super League
Scotland effectively competed in the Netball Super League. Between 2008 and 2011 they played as Glasgow Wildcats. One of the main aims of forming the Glasgow Wildcats franchise was to help Scotland prepare for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Denise Holland was subsequently appointed joint head coach of both the Wildcats and Scotland.[8][9][10] Between 2017 and 2024 they played as the Sirens.[11][12][13] Gail Parata served as the joint head coach of both Sirens and Scotland.[14][15] At the 2019 Netball World Cup, eleven of the Scotland squad were Sirens players.[16]
Tournament history
Major tournaments
Netball World Cup
Scotland have competed in every Netball World Cup tournament, except in 2011 when they failed to qualify. The highest position they have finished is 6th which they achieved on three occasions, in 1971, 1975 and 1983.
Commonwealth Games
Scotland have been regular participants in Netball at the Commonwealth Games. They hosted the tournament in 2014 and 2026.[39] In 2026 they achieved their highest ever Commonwealth Games placing, finishing 8th.
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 2014 Commonwealth Games[40][41] | 9th |
| 2018 Commonwealth Games[42][43][44][45] | 9th |
| 2022 Commonwealth Games[46] | 9th |
| 2026 Commonwealth Games | 8th |
World Games
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 1985 World Games[47][48] | 5th/6th |
| 1989 World Games[49] | 5th |
European tournaments
Netball Europe Open Championships
Scotland played regularly in the Netball Europe Open Championships. Their best performances came in 2014 and when they finished second.
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 1998 FENA Open | |
| 1999 FENA Open | |
| 2000 FENA Open | |
| 2001 FENA Open | |
| 2002 FENA Open[50] | |
| 2003 FENA Open | |
| 2004 FENA Open | |
| 2005 FENA Open[51][52] | |
| 2006 FENA Open[53] | |
| 2007 FENA Open[54] | 3rd |
| 2008 FENA Open[55] | 2nd |
| 2009 Netball Europe Open Championships[56][57] | 2nd |
| 2010 Netball Europe Open Championships[58] | 3rd |
| 2011 Netball Europe Open Championships[59] | 4th |
| 2012 Netball Europe Open Championships[60] | 4th |
| 2013 Netball Europe Open Championships[61] | 4th |
| 2014 Netball Europe Open Championships[62] |  |
| 2015 Netball Europe Open Championships[63][64] | 6th |
| 2016 Netball Europe Open Championships[65] | 3rd |
| 2017 Netball Europe Open Championships[66] | 3rd |
Source:[6]
Netball World Cup Qualifiers
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 2007 World Netball Championships Qualifier – Europe[67] | 2nd |
| 2011 World Netball Championships Qualifier – Europe[68][69] | 3rd |
| 2014 Netball Europe Open Championships[70][62] | 2nd |
| 2019 Netball World Cup Regional Qualifier – Europe[71][72][73] | 1st |
| 2023 Netball World Cup Regional Qualifier – Europe[74][75] | 2nd |
Source:[76]
Invitational tournaments
Celtic Cup
The Celtic Cup series is hosted and organised by Netball Northern Ireland, Netball Scotland and Wales Netball. The series features Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales playing a series of test matches against each other and visiting national teams.[77][78][79]
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 2024 Celtic Cup[80][81] | 2nd |
| 2025 Celtic Cup[82][83] | 2nd |
Netball South Africa Diamond Challenge
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 2022 SPAR Diamond Challenge[84] | 2nd |
Netball Singapore Nations Cup
Scotland have finished as runners up in two Netball Singapore Nations Cup tournaments.
Notable players
Current Squad
The current squad was selected for the 2025 Scotland New Zealand netball series.
| Scotland roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Manager: Karen McElveen
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Captains
| Captains | Years |
|---|---|
| Rita Rice (née Renfrew)[4] | 1949 |
| Lily Keith (Hunter) | |
| Theresa Rice (McCartney) | |
| Margaret Devine | |
| Lena Fraser (Calder) | |
| Sheila Donald (Ferguson) | |
| Celia Shields (Breslin) | 1957 |
| Ann Boyle (Gillespie)[92] | |
| Mae Lavery (Rooney) | 1963 |
| Moira Ord MBE | 1967 |
| Priscilla Kerr | |
| Marie Fairie | 1971, 1975, 1979 |
| Liz Wilson (McPheely) | |
| Janie Elliot (Lavery) | |
| Susan Mosher (McCafferty) | 1987 |
| Alexandra (Sandra) Frame (Trainer) | 1991 |
| Mary Tough[26] | 1999 |
| Lindsay Cummings | 2003 |
| Lesley Macdonald[28] | 2007 |
| Hayley Mulheron[93][94][95][96] | 2015 |
| Claire Maxwell[32][97][98] | 201x–2023 |
| Emily Nicholl[99][100][101] | |
| Iona Christian[99][102] | |
Head coaches
| Coach | Years |
|---|---|
| Catherine Sweeney[4] | 1949 |
| Elizabeth Kelly | 1962 |
| Muriel Getty | 1963 |
| Katie Pie | 1967 |
| Lena Fraser | 1971, 1975 |
| Maeve Wilson | 1976 |
| Lena Fraser | 1977 |
| Moira Ord | 1979 |
| Elizabeth Church | 1980 |
| Marie Fairie | 1980–1982 |
| Agnes O'Brien | 1983, 1987 |
| Anne Clark | 1991 |
| Anne Marie Daly | 1995 |
| Mary Ann Cosgrove[26] | 1999 |
| Anne Clark [27] | 2003, 2007 |
| Mary Tough | 2008 |
| Denise Holland[8][9][104] | 2008–2012 |
| Jill Fullerton | 2013 |
| Gail Parata[14][15] | 2013–2019 |
| Tamsin Greenway[105][106][107][108] | 2020–2023 |
| Kath Tetley[109][110] | 2024– |
Honours
- Netball World Cup Qualifiers
- Netball Europe Open Championships
- Runner up: 2014
- Netball Singapore Nations Cup
- Runner up: 2009, 2010
- Netball South Africa Diamond Challenge
- Runner up: 2022