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England netball train ahead of World Championships

27 June 2011

englandnetballsquad

The England netball team trained at Surrey Sports Park this weekend ahead of the 2011 World Championships in Singapore.

England fly out this evening and start their World Championship campaign against Malawi on Monday 4 July before facing Barbados and Malaysia in Pool D.

Current Surrey Storm captain Tamsin Greenway and star shooter Rachel Dunn are heading out to Singapore, and enjoyed a weekend of preparation at their Surrey home venue.

The England team will be co-captained by Karen Atkinson and ex- Surrey Storm player Sonia Mkoloma, who has been playing for New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship.

"We have a strong, powerful line-up and are now totally focused heading into the Worlds," said coach Sue Hawkins.

England and Northern Thunder netball Jade Clarke thinks England have every chance of bringing home gold. Clarke said, "The World Championships is the ultimate for our sport and it's then end of a four-year cycle, that's the one we want definitely.

"The last few years we've shown that we can beat Australia and New Zealand and now it's time to do it when it matters.

"We've done it in test series and it's time to perform under pressure now."

England have missed out on medals at the last two World Championships in 2003 and 2007 with Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica filling the top three places.

Geva Mentor also returns from a stint in the ANZ to strengthen the England defence and is joined by Stacey Francis and Eboni Beckford-Chambers, who both impressed on the recent tour to Jamaica.

Serena Guthrie, Tamsin Greenway and Jade Clarke will compete for starting berths in the mid-court while the attacking circle consists of the same four players who toured the Caribbean - Pamela Cookey, Louisa Brownfield, Jo Harten and Rachel Dunn.

The top two teams from each pool will qualify for the quarter-finals with the final to take place on Sunday 10 July.

Netball fans will be able to watch some of the action from the World Championships on Sky Sports. Visit www.englandnetball.co.uk for more details.

England Full Squad: Sonia Mkoloma (Co-Captain), Karen Atkinson (Co-Captain), Geva Mentor, Stacey Francis, Eboni Beckford-Chambers, Jade Clarke, Serena Guthrie, Tamsin Greenway, Pamela Cookey, Louisa Brownfield, Jo Harten, Rachel Dunn.

Read Tamsin Greenway's World Champs Blog - keep checking back for updates