England cruise past Tonga with 72-25 victory in NWYC2025

The Netball World Youth Cup paid tribute to Carol Alexander, a much-respected technical officer for Europe and World Netball who passed away suddenly. Before each match on day four, a message of condolence was read out, followed by a minute’s silence observed by teams and officials.

Match day four saw England take on Tonga in the midday fixture at the Tercentenary Sports Hall, played in front of a vociferous crowd. England made a flying start, racing to a 5–0 lead within the opening three minutes. Spurred on by the noise, they quickly extended their advantage, leading 13–3 midway through the first quarter. Tonga struggled to gain any rhythm as England struck blow after blow, finishing the quarter 24–5 ahead. After their strong win over Wales the previous day, England were clearly en route to another emphatic scoreline.

Tonga remained stuck on five goals well into the second quarter, while England surged to 31 with ten minutes still to play before halftime. Although England eased their tempo, they continued to score freely, reaching 38–9 with three minutes left. By halftime, England were 40–12 ahead, their control clear despite the slowdown in pace — something future opponents will have noted.

Tonga emerged after the break with renewed energy but squandered four consecutive opportunities. England, clinical as ever, punished them at the first attempt. With nine minutes left in the third quarter, England led 45–14, their efficiency under the post unrelenting. They moved into the fifties with five minutes still remaining, cruising into the final quarter with a commanding 56–20 lead.

Tonga struggled to feed their shooters and went four minutes before adding another goal, by which time England had stretched the score to 60–21. The closing minutes saw England manage the game safely, prioritising possession and composure. They rounded off a dominant display with a 72–25 victory — another emphatic statement of intent in their World Youth Cup campaign.