Beth Durant reveals what England's strength is ahead of three-Test series against South Africa
Beth Durant (née Cobden) is confident England's mix of experience and youth is what makes them such a great team; Durant expects the series against South Africa to be tough as the SPAR Proteas are an up and coming team
Thursday 29 January 2026 08:43, UK
Beth Durant says England's mix of experience and youth is what makes then such a powerful side ahead of the three-Test series against South Africa which starts on Thursday live on Sky Sports.
The most capped player on the squad heading to South Africa is Helen Housby, with 116 caps, while the lesser capped players include recent debutant Jaz Brown - both of whom put on incredible performances during the international series before Christmas.
The Vitality Roses hosted New Zealand and Jamaica in Test-series where they narrowly lost 2-1 to the Silver Ferns but dominated 2-0 over the inexperienced Sunshine Girls.
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"We've got a real good balance of the older, more experienced heads and then just the young talent coming through," Durant (née Cobden) said.
"I think the younger girls are the best youth that we've had coming in, probably ever.
"The likes of Funmi [Fadoju] and Liv [Tchine] are just such amazing athletes and to think they're only in their early 20s and they've got such a career to go.
"So yeah, it's a really exciting team. It's nice to have the likes of Nat Metcalf back in the squad after having her baby, she brings so much to the environment as well.
"So I feel like the whole balance of the old heads and then the youth, the exciting talent, is really good and it's important to have both."
But facing South Africa will be no easy feat, no matter how much experience or young talent the Roses possess.
In recent years, South Africa have steadily progressed and become an even more competitive team that is able to challenge the top four, threatening their harmony at the top of the world rankings.
"It's a big challenge, I know they're [South Africa] ranked below us in the world rankings, but there's not a lot in it and they're such an up-and-coming side," said Durant.
"They've got loads of new talent that we've maybe not seen as much of, but last year when we played them, they had some brilliant players that made you think, there's some really good new talent on the scene.
"And I do think they really rise up, they like playing against us and I think they rise to it.
"So it will be really exciting to see what they put out and we're going to have to play them at the Commonwealth Games, so it's good preparation for us to learn about them and so get us basically in the right stage for when we play them in the groups."
England and South Africa are in the same pool (A) for the Commonwealth Games later this year in Glasgow, alongside the world No 1 Australia, Malawi, Tonga, and Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, pool B consists of New Zealand, Jamaica, Wales, Uganda, Scotland, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The two sides will play one another on July 30, the final day of the group stages, in what will likely be a crucial game for both teams in deciding who makes it through to the semi-finals.
Vitality Roses take on South Africa in a three-match series, live on Sky Sports, starting January 29 from 4pm (GMT).
