Netball Super League | Where to Watch: Semi Finals

We’re now down to the last four teams and just two games away from knowing who will be competing for the 2023 Netball Super League (NSL) crown.

You won’t want to be anywhere else this Friday night as Sky Sports bring you both semi-finals live back-to-back!

Make sure you’re following the NSL on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok for updates and exclusive behind-the-scenes content, while our YouTube channel is the place to go for highlights if you miss anything.

London Pulse vs. Surrey Storm – FCP 18:30

First up we have the battle of the South as league leaders London Pulse welcome two-time winners Surrey Storm to the Copper Box Arena.

Since their inception into the NSL in 2019, Pulse have risen through the rankings, moving up from third last year up to top spot and securing their second consecutive semi-final place.

They have enjoyed their longest unbeaten run, up to Round 20, winning 13 games in a row, scored their highest goals in a regular season, and surpassed 70 goals in a single game for the first time – something they have repeated on two other occasions.

Surrounding a core of exciting young talent, including the likes of Funmi Fadoju, Olivia Tchine and Berri Neil, new recruits for 2023, and NSL winners, Jade Clarke and Chelsea Pitman have served as excellent additions in the middle of the court.

Having won six of their nine meetings with Storm, including the last four, Pulse will feel confident they can make history and progress to their first ever NSL final.

For Storm this has been their best season since their last NSL-title win in 2016.

Storm were lauded for their activity in the signing window, bringing in 2022 NSL Player of the Season Layla Guscoth along with Team Bath teammate Sophie Drakeford-Lewis. They were then joined by former Storm legends Amy Flanagan and Hannah Knights, adding a wealth of championship experience to an already experienced side.

Out of the top four sides Storm have won the most quarters across the season. However, Mikki Austin‘s side have struggled against their top four rivals winning just one of their six games against the other three teams.

The Surrey franchise were also dealt a blow just before Round 16 when top scorer Proscovia Peace withdrew from the squad on medical grounds.

Despite losing the last two meetings with Pulse, Austin will feel her side have been unfortunate having won five of the eight quarters in both games. Their downfall has come in the third quarter where they lost by 10 and nine goals respectively.

Tune in to the first semi-final from 18:00 live on Sky Sports Action, Mix and YouTube (UK only).

Loughborough Lightning vs. Manchester Thunder – FCP 20:00

Capping off the Friday night entertainment, Loughborough Lightning host the reigning champions, Manchester Thunder.

Atleast one of these two sides have appeared in the NSL final over the last seven years but only once have these sides met in the semi-finals in the history of the league.

This meeting came in 2018 at the Leicester Arena where Lightning came out on top with a 59-50 win. The side on that day included Storm shooter Proscovia Peace and Jamaica Sunshine Girl Shamera Sterling as well as four of the current Lightning crop – Beth Cobden, Hannah Joseph, Lauren Nicholls and Nat Panagarry.

Coming back to 2023 and Lightning kicked off the Season Opener with a bang, producing their highest goal tally in three seasons with a comprehensive 86-52 victory over Team Bath.

Lightning have been a free-scoring side this season. Spearheaded by Uganda She Crane Mary Cholhok who currently leads the Gilbert Top Scorer Leaderboard with 808, Lightning are the top scorers in the league.

In the defensive end, two-time NSL winner Fran Williams has enjoyed her best season in the league, picking up countless Gilbert Player of the Match awards for her defensive exploits. She is in the top five for intercepts and turnovers – the only player out of the top four sides.

Despite losing two of the league’s best shooters in Joyce Mvula and Eleanor Cardwell who contributed 1,415 goals for the champions, Thunder made one of the best signings of the off season recruiting South African international Lenize Potgieter.

The former Adelaide Thunderbird is no stranger to the NSL having enjoyed a spell with Team Bath, and she quickly settled back into the groove.

Just 51 behind Cholhok in the goal standings, Potgieter has missed just 26 shots from 783 attempts and is the most clinical shooter in the league with a goal percentage of 96.68%.

At the other end of the court, Thunder have had to adapt to the absences of Kerry Almond, Shadine van der Merwe and Elia McCormick for much of the 2023 season but have been upheld at the back by NSL winners Josie Huckle and Emma Dovey.

Watch the action from the David Wallace Arena live on Sky Sports Action, Mix and YouTube (UK only) from 19:30.