Natalie Metcalf

English midcourter who captained England to their first-ever Netball World Cup final in 2023, having already led the 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medal squad.

Natalie Metcalf (née Haythornthwaite) was born on 9 December 1992 in Barrowford, Lancashire. She began her Netball Superleague career with Leeds Carnegie/Yorkshire Jets across six seasons, being named the league's 2015 Player of the Season, before moving to Manchester Thunder in 2016 and then Wasps Netball, where she won consecutive Grand Finals in 2017 and 2018. Metcalf made her England debut in 2015 against Trinidad and Tobago and went on to earn 86 caps, playing wing attack in the historic 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medal squad on the Gold Coast. She spent four seasons with Australia's NSW Swifts from 2018, winning Super Netball premierships in 2019 and 2021, before returning to Manchester Thunder in 2022 and winning a third Superleague title that year. Metcalf was appointed England captain in 2022 and led the Vitality Roses to their first-ever Netball World Cup final in 2023, finishing runners-up to Australia. She married Josh Metcalf at the end of 2021, taking his surname, and stepped away from netball in 2025 after announcing her pregnancy, returning to the England squad in November of that year for the series against Jamaica after becoming a mother for the first time.

Versatile wing attack and goal attack renowned for her feeding accuracy, court vision and calm leadership under pressure

A versatile, respected leader across two continents, credited with helping guide England through their most successful modern era

• Commonwealth Games Gold 2018
• World Cup Silver 2023 (captain)
• 2015 Netball Superleague Player of the Season
• England Captain (2022-2023)