Fran Williams: I always get nervous coming back to England netball camps after Australia move
Fran Williams opens up about the reality of returning to England camp after moving to Australia to play in the Suncorp Super Netball league; Vitality Red Roses take on New Zealand in three-match series, live on Sky Sports, starting on Saturday from 4pm
Friday 14 November 2025 06:25, UK
After eight seasons in the Netball Super League including a win with Loughborough Lightning in her final one, Fran Williams moved to Australia to play for West Coast Fever at just 25 years old.
Since she joined the team, Fever have finished third and second in what is considered the best domestic netball league in the world, giving the Rose invaluable experience.
But coming back home for England camps doesn't come without its worries. Despite the friendships, she has with her teammates, Williams always feels some nerves and 'FOMO' on her return.
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"I always say coming back in you feel a bit nervous, but absolutely nothing changes in terms of those connections and relationships that we've built over the years and I'm so grateful for the friendships I've made within the Roses environment," Williams said.
"You do spend so much time together, travelling away, tough days, great days and I think it forges some great, great friendships and those remain whether I'm playing in Australia or not.
"That gives me so much confidence coming back into the environment that the respect and love we still have for each other is always still there.
"I definitely get 'FOMO'. I was back a bit later into the training camps here because I was playing over in Suncorp Super Netball in the Grand Final with Fever, so I know they got to work a little bit earlier than me.
"But yeah, as soon as you come straight back in, everything naturally falls back in.
"Being able to represent your country and play for England is one of the biggest privileges and getting to do it in a sport I absolutely adore with teammates that inspire me all the time, there's no greater honour so it's never a hard decision to come back."
Lessons learned from down under
Australia are comfortably ranked as the top national team in the world, with a lead of nine rating points above second place New Zealand, closely followed by Jamaica and England, who are both within 10 points of the Silver Ferns.
The Diamonds have been widely considered as the toughest team to play for years, with extensive depth even beyond their squad playing a big part in this belief.
For Williams, playing in the SSN - the first fully professional netball league - has provided her an incredible opportunity to improve her game, but she hopes to bring the benefits back to the rest of the England camp too.
"Their training environment is what I have learnt from, because it's full-time professional, the support that they get out there, the intensity, the standards are really high," she said.
"It's something that I like to really champion when I come back into the Roses and ensure that we are training at that world standard gold medal winning level every single session in everything we do.
"Whether that be an on-court netball session to the gym, to how we're recovering, to how we're approaching video analysis I think that's the kind of thing that you learn from being in that professional full-time environment out there
"They're things I feel really passionately about us more than being capable of doing within Roses, and the staff are so on board with that as well.
"Every team can beat anyone on their given day. People have the talent and capability now within their squads to compete with the world's best.
"I think for us it's just about showing up more consistently and producing those world-winning performances match after match.
"We are a top nation, so it's about instilling that belief in everyone and demystifying those potential beliefs around other teams being at levels that we're not capable of, because I just don't think that's the case."
Vitality Red Roses take on New Zealand in three-match series, live on Sky Sports, starting on Saturday from 4pm
Vitality Netball International Series schedule vs New Zealand
Saturday November 15: Copper Box Arena, London
England vs New Zealand, 5pm
Sunday November 16: Copper Box Arena, London
England vs New Zealand, 3pm
Wednesday November 19: - AO Arena, Manchester
England vs New Zealand, 7pm
Vitality Netball Horizon Series schedule in Jamaica
Saturday December 6: National Indoor Sports Centre, Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica vs England, TBC
Sunday December 7: National Indoor Sports Centre, Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica vs England, TBC
Saturday December 13: Copper Box Arena, London
England vs Jamaica, 2.15pm
Sunday December 14: Copper Box Arena, London
England vs Jamaica, 2pm
Times subject to slight change due to broadcast requirements
