Squads announced as fans return for first time in more than two years


Squads announced as fans return for first time in more than two years

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England’s men and women have named their squads for this weekend’s FIH Hockey Pro League games; the first international matches in front of a home crowd for two and a half years. The teams


have four exciting matches ahead of them this weekend at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park: Sat 21 May - England v France (Men) 1pm, England v China (Women)


3:30pm Sun 22 May - England v France (M) 12pm, England v China (W) 2:30pm The men will be represented by a 20-strong squad over the two days, containing eight players who played for Team GB


in last summer’s Olympics. There are three changes to the squad from the previous matches in Germany, with Liam Ansell and Stuart Rushmere returning, while Matt Ramshaw earns a first


call-up. 22 women have been selected for their matches with China, with ten of them having won bronze in last summer’s Olympic games. There is a very welcome return for Shona McCallin as she


plays for the first time this season, while Giselle Ansley, Sabbie Heesh and Martha Taylor are also back. Tickets for both days are available at hockey.seetickets.com, with a ticket to


watch two matches in one day starting at £7.50 for children and £17.50 for adults. Tickets will also be available on the day of the game at the venue. The last home international matches in


England in front of a crowd were back in November 2019 when Great Britain played in Olympic Qualifiers, marking an incredible 931 days without supporters on home soil. Men’s Interim Head


Coach Zak Jones said: “The squad are very much looking forward to this block of Pro League fixtures and are incredibly excited to be back on home turf for the first time in a while, and even


more excited to have fans back in the stadium. “Whilst we know that a strong and improving French side will pose a real threat, we will look to continue to build our core game, as well as


further develop our winning mindset, whilst at the same time showcasing the attacking intent, talent and passion of the squad.” Zak will continue to lead the programme as Interim Head Coach


through all of England’s home Pro League fixtures, before new Head Coach Paul Revington formally takes up his role later in June. Women’s Head Coach David Ralph is also very much looking


forward to the weekend, commenting: “This is the start of an intense and exciting period for us, culminating in three tournaments over the summer with the World Cup, Commonwealth Games and


EuroHockey Qualifiers. “This stretch of home Pro League games provides us with a series of very competitive games and the opportunity to continue our growth as a team. We are very much


looking forward to the games this weekend and welcoming China back to Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre. It is great to be back playing some home games and there is no doubt that we are


incredibly excited to be playing in front our home support, we have really missed the feeling and buzz we all get from playing in front of our fans.” MEN’S SQUAD James Albery – Old Georgians


Liam Ansell – Wimbledon Nick Bandurak – Holcombe Will Calnan – Hampstead & Westminster David Condon – Wimbledon Brendan Creed – Royal Beerschot James Gall – Surbiton David Goodfield –


Surbiton Chris Griffiths - Old Georgians James Mazarelo (GK) – Loughborough Students Ollie Payne (GK) – Holcombe Matthew Ramshaw - Hampstead & Westminster Stuart Rushmere - Loughborough


Students Ian Sloan – Wimbledon Peter Scott – Wimbledon Rhys Smith – Wimbledon Tom Sorsby – Surbiton Sam Taylor – University of Exeter Jack Turner – Wimbledon Sam Ward – Old Georgians WOMEN’S


SQUAD Giselle Ansley – HGC Grace Balsdon – Hampstead & Westminster Darcy Bourne – Surbiton Fiona Crackles – Wimbledon Olivia Hamilton – Loughborough Students Sophie Hamilton – Surbiton


Sabbie Heesh (GK) – Surbiton Tess Howard – East Grinstead Holly Hunt – Hampstead & Westminster Alex Malzer – East Grinstead Hannah Martin – THC Hurley Shona McCallin Lizzie Neal –


Canterbury Lily Owsley – HDM Hollie Pearne-Webb (C) – Wimbledon Flora Peel – HDM Izzy Petter – Loughborough Students Miriam Pritchard (GK) – University of Exeter Ellie Rayer – East Grinstead


Martha Taylor - University of Exeter Laura Unsworth – East Grinstead Lily Walker – University of Birmingham These matches are the first of four big weekends of international hockey on Queen


Elizabeth Olympic Park. Sat 21 May - England v France (Men) 1pm, England v China (Women) 3:30pm Sun 22 May - England v France (M) 12pm, England v China (W) 2:30pm Sat 28 May - England v


South Africa (M) 12pm, England v Spain (W) 2:30pm Sun 29 May - England v South Africa (M) 12pm, England v Spain (W) 2:30pm Sat 4 Jun - England v Netherlands (W&M), 2pm & 4:30pm Sun 5


Jun - England v Netherlands (W&M), 1pm & 3:30pm Sat 18 Jun - England v Belgium (W&M), 2pm & 4:30pm Sun 19 Jun - England v Belgium (W&M), 1pm & 3:30pm Tickets are on


general sale now - go to hockey.seetickets.com to secure your places in advance. Tickets in some categories are sold out for selected games so act quickly to get the best seats.