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Watch all the action from the game now on BBC iPlayer
• Jennifer Saunders and Oti Mabuse led two teams of celebrities and sporting legends in the first ever All-Star Netball match for Sport Relief this weekend
• Within one minute of the match starting, Jennifer wowed the crowd by scoring the first goal of the game
• Her luck was short-lived as Oti’s team went on to dominate the match which led to a 19-14 victory
Strictly’s Oti Mabuse and her triumphant squad of celebrity players and sporting legends celebrated their epic win over Jennifer Saunders’ team in the first ever All-Star Netball for Sport Relief during the Vitality Netball World Cup finals weekend.
Taking to the court to raise money and awareness for Sport Relief, the special charity match was broadcast on BBC Two on Saturday night with host Clare Balding presenting all the court side action - from the squad’s very first training session through to the nail-biting final at the M&S Arena Liverpool.
The match was full of intensity, good humour and drama with a competitive edge from all players shining through. Within the first minute of the match, Jennifer Saunders wowed the crowd by scoring the first goal of the game, however shortly after team member Ellie Taylor was put out of action when she took a tumble, giving Oti’s team the opportunity to equalise.
The luck continued for Oti’s team as they took the lead in goals, however this triggered a mass court invasion from the opposing team in the final minutes who tried to obstruct any more goals. This resulted in Captain Jennifer receiving a formal warning for her team’s unruly behaviour.
The celebrity players were offered a helping hand throughout by professional netball players and coaches making up the teams including the most capped international player of all time, Irene Van Dyk (New Zealand), Mary Waya (Ex-Malawian National Coach) and Ama Agbeze MBE (Ex-England Captain).
It was pure elation at the final whistle as Oti’s team won 19-14. All players saluted a packed crowd who cheered them on throughout.
Reflecting on her epic win, Oti said: “What a match! I really enjoyed the game and it means so much to win, especially because it’s for a good cause. I was out of my comfort zone – I haven’t played netball in about 10 years but it felt so good to be back on the court with an amazing team and supportive fans cheering us on. It has been an amazing year for women and sport and I hope the match will inspire more women and girls to get involved.”
These famous faces are getting active for Sport Relief to raise money to help support vulnerable people here in the UK and abroad through projects such as The Change Foundation in London. The Change Foundation uses the rules and game of netball to teach girls and young women how to stay safe on social media. It empowers girls and young women to think more positively about their social graph, consider how it can affect their prospects for the future and raises awareness of negative social influences.
You can relive the game, follow the ups and downs of team training and see how the money raised by Sport Relief is used to make a real difference to ordinary people living incredibly tough lives, by watching on the BBC iPlayer. To show your support and donate, visit sportrelief.com/donate.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Comic Relief Media Team
0207 820 2500
media@comicrelief.com
(Out of hours 07984 510 473)
Notes to Editors:
Oti’s Team (Warriors)
• CAPTAIN: Oti Mabuse
• COACH: Jess Thirlby
• PLAYERS: Adele Roberts, Dame Katherine Grainger, Eleanor Cardwell, Jade Jones, Kadeen Corbin, Katharine Merry, Sasha Corbin, Sue Smith, Sumer Artman and Vick Hope
Jennifer’s Team (Munchkins)
• CAPTAIN: Jennifer Saunders
• COACH: Tamsin Greenway
• PLAYERS: Ama Agbeze, Denise Lewis, Ellie Taylor, George Fisher, Luisa Omielan, Lyndsey Russell, Mary Waya, Montana Brown, Sara Bayman, Sarah Hadland and Sally Phillips
About Comic Relief
Comic Relief is a UK charity with a simple purpose - to create a just world, free from poverty. Comic Relief does this by funding and investing in amazing organisations across the UK and around the world to tackle some of the key issues of our time. Since 1985, Comic Relief has raised over £1.3 billion. That money has helped, and is helping, to improve countless lives.
For information about Comic Relief and the work it carries out, please visit www.comicrelief.com
Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland)
