England’s disappointment in the Quad Series should be viewed in the prism of this being a warm-up to the main event of the summer’s World Cup.

That is the viewpoint of Liana Leota, the Leeds Rhinos director of netball who also serves as a specialist centres and attacking coach for the Vitality Roses.

England missed out on a place in the Quad Series final after they were beaten 55-45 by New Zealand on Tuesday. It was their second defeat from three games and sends them into a third-place playoff with South Africa, the country that hosts the World Cup this summer.

Leota, whose first season leading the Rhinos in Superleague begins next month, said: “That’s what people forget, they think everything is about winning the Quad Series, but for us it’s about combinations, getting those young players exposure before we hit the world stage because you don’t get a second chance at it.

England captain Natalie Metcalf of England during the Netball Quad Series match between England and New Zealand at Cape Town International Convention Centre on January 24. (Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

"So for us it was about performance and playing well, it about getting key connections out there for the people that we might not have seen, before we start making decisions for the final 12.

"There’s lots of things you need to cover before you leave that tournament, but of course we’re also trying to win it, which is really hard.”

Having led 27-21 at half-time, the Silver Ferns pulled away again to secure victory and a place in the final against Australia. Helen Housby scored her 1,000th goal for England during the game.

Leeds Rhinos coach Liana Leota's words of reassurance as Vitality Roses miss out on Quad Series final