The Super League’s top three remain level on points as Severn Stars continue their remarkable season. Plus, which attacker is looking to complete her resurgence and make England’s World Cup squad?
Here is all you need to know from round 11.
Still all square at the top
While the Super League’s top four is starting to take shape it is becoming increasingly more difficult to call who will ultimately take the crown, with three teams level on points at the top of the league, separated only by goal difference.
Surrey Storm earned a narrow 65-61 victory over Strathclyde Sirens, having to overturn a six-goal deficit at half-time to maintain their position at the top of the league.
London Pulse are second after they beat Leeds Rhinos 66-34 and the 32-goal thumping could go some way to helping later in the season, when goal difference may prove key to deciding who plays who in the semi-finals.
Since their loss to fellow title-chasers Storm in round two third-place Manchester Thunder have won their next eight matches, the latest a 59-43 win over Celtic Dragons in Wales.
The defending champions are a much-changed outfit from last season but, with several members of their squad having come through the Manchester franchise’s pathway set-up, the results remain consistently strong.
Loughborough Lightning trail by six points in fourth and won’t play until Monday, 17 April, when they will face Dragons, following a bye week in round 11.
Stars must ‘maintain standards’ in impressive season
Last season Severn Stars won just three games and finished bottom of the league on goal difference.
This season, they have already achieved 15 points, six more than they earned in 2022, and trail fourth-placed Lightning by just six points.
After two losses on the spin, they came from behind to beat Team Bath 61-51 at the Team Bath Arena, the first time they have ever won there, and continue to showcase their improvement under player-coach Jo Trip.
“I’m really proud of the team sticking the performance out and coming back to our winning ways,” said Trip.
“It was a tough ask. We were all nervous coming off the back of two quite harsh losses and not performing to our standards.”
Their turnaround is being spearheaded by South Africa shooter Sigi Burger – who is the league’s second-highest goal scorer with 434 goals in 11 games – and led from the back by Trip at goalkeeper, who has earned her side 51 turnovers this season, the second-highest in the league.
“The last three quarters were our brand and hopefully we can just continue with that,” Trip told Sky Sports. “Now it’s just about maintaining those standards.”
World Cup watch: Pitman staking claim
Before the season Pulse wing attack Chelsea Pitman made no secret of the fact that she wants to be selected for the England squad at this summer’s World Cup in South Africa.
After a turbulent few years in which she was dropped by Adelaide Thunderbirds and stepped away from netball to train as a police officer in Australia, she returned to the sport as a training partner with West Coast Fever in 2022 before joining Pulse for the 2023 season.
The 34-year-old was recalled to the Roses squad in October for their series against Uganda and will be hoping that her performances in London have caught the attention of head coach Jess Thirlby.
Pitman provided an impressive 26 shooter feeds in Pulse’s win over Rhinos, taking her season-tally to 152 so far and placing her just outside the top 10.
But Pulse boast several England hopefuls and playing and training with them in what has so far been a successful season puts her firmly in contention.
England’s most-capped player ever, Jade Clarke, whom she lives with in London, is one of those players, with 39-year-old Clarke’s longevity and experience making her still an integral part of Thirlby’s squad.
Pulse now face a tough run of six consecutive games away from home and Pitman will be hoping to continue her good form through the second half of the season.
