Source: England Hockey

Howard returns to England squad after more than a year out

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England’s men’s and women’s squads have been announced for this week’s FIH Hockey Pro League games away to Germany.

There are welcome returns for a number of players in both squads. In the women’s team Tess Howard is set to play her first full international match in more than a year, having been recovering from a long-term knee injury. Lily Owsley is set to play her first game since the Tokyo Olympics, while there are also returns for Giselle Ansley and Hannah Martin. Flora Peel and goalkeeper Mila Welch are the other changes from the team’s last matches in USA. With players returning from injury et al, David Ralph has selected a slightly larger squad of 22.

For the men, Ian Sloan will play for the first time since lining up for Team GB at the Olympics, while Will Calnan is also back, as is Brendan Creed. Zak Jones will continue as Head Coach for these games.

The teams play a total of four matches at SparkassenPark in Moenchengladbach:

Wed 4 May:
Germany v England (women) 2pm UK time
Germany v England (men) 4:30pm UK time

Thu 5 May:
Germany v England (women) 12pm UK time
Germany v England (men) 2:30pm UK time

All games are live on BT Sport.

Women’s squad:
Giselle Ansley – HGC
Grace Balsdon – Hampstead & Westminster
Darcy Bourne – Surbiton
Esme Burge – Hampstead & Westminster
Fiona Crackles – Wimbledon
Olivia Hamilton – Loughborough Students
Sophie Hamilton – Surbiton
Tess Howard – East Grinstead
Holly Hunt – Hampstead & Westminster
Pippa Lock – University of Birmingham
Alex Malzer – East Grinstead
Hannah Martin – THC Hurley
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
Laura Unsworth – East Grinstead
Lily Walker – University of Birmingham
Mila Welch (GK) – East Grinstead

Men’s squad
James Albery – Old Georgians
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
James Oates – Hampstead & Westminster
Nick Park – Surbiton
Ollie Payne (GK) – Holcombe
Ian Sloan – Wimbledon
Peter Scott – Wimbledon
Duncan Scott – Wimbledon
Rhys Smith – Wimbledon
Tom Sorsby – Surbiton
Sam Taylor – University of Exeter
Jack Turner – Wimbledon
Sam Ward – Old Georgians

These matches are England’s final away games of this campaign, with four big weekends to come in London in the coming weeks.

  • Sat 21 May – England v France (M) 1pm, England v China (W) 3:30pm, Lee Valley HTC
    Sun 22 May – England v France (M) 12pm, England v China (W) 2:30pm, Lee Valley HTC
  • Sat 28 May – England v South Africa (M) 12pm, England v Spain (W) 2:30pm, Lee Valley HTC
    Sun 29 May – England v South Africa (M) 12pm, England v Spain (W) 2:30pm, Lee Valley HTC
  • Sat 4 Jun – England v Netherlands (W&M), 2pm & 4:30pm, Twickenham Stoop
    Sun 5 Jun – England v Netherlands (W&M), 1pm & 3:30pm, Twickenham Stoop
  • Sat 18 Jun – England v Belgium (W&M), 2pm & 4:30pm, Lee Valley HTC
    Sun 19 Jun – England v Belgium (W&M), 1pm & 3:30pm, Lee Valley HTC

With thanks to England Hockey