England men have announced their squad that will compete at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
An 18-strong squad has been released with the team unchanged from their recent campaign at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia where they won silver.
England face Malaysia, Pakistan, Wales and India in pool B with the top two sides qualifying for the semi-finals with the men’s final taking place on the 14 April.
Head coach Bobby Crutchley said: “We couldn’t be more excited for the Commonwealth Games in Australia where there is a lot of interest in the sport and to joining up with Team England. As a squad we have been training very hard and very well and we are very much looking forward to building on what we achieved in 2017.
“We start with a tough opening match against Malaysia and we are very much focused on that and making the semi-finals and ultimately looking to win a medal.”
Beeston ladies 1st team goalkeeper, Nicki Cochrane, has also been selected to go to the Commonwealth Games with the Team Scotland.
Scotland women have been drawn in Pool B at Gold Coast 2018 against Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Ghana. Women’s Pool A has England, India, South Africa, Malaysia, and Wales drawn together.
Sarah Robertson, who recently surpassed 100 joint-caps for Scotland and GB while playing for GB in Argentina, is in the squad as is her fellow GB athletes Amy Costello and Nicki Cochrane. Lucy Lanigan also makes the squad after catching the eye in the recent warm-weather camp in Gran Canaria, where Scotland women clocked up four wins from five against Wales in a test series.
The Tartan Hearts have a two-match test series against Ireland in Glasgow on the horizon as the squad prepares for Gold Coast 2018. Over 1,000 school children from all over Scotland will cheer the team on at the two matches and give the squad a huge support as they set off for Australia.
Scotland women’s Head Coach Gordon Shepherd said, “The level of competition within the squad at the selection camp was excellent, and this left us with some difficult decisions to make, but we are extremely pleased and excited with the squad we have selected.
“Every player wants to represent Scotland at a Commonwealth Games as it’s the only multi-sport experience they will get playing for Scotland. The squad has a balance of experience and youth and there has been a big turnaround in personnel since Glasgow 2014 – only five players who represented Scotland then are selected for the Gold Coast.
“We have been very fortunate to have had great support from sportscotland and Scottish Hockey to have our players available for periods of full time training, and I and the players are extremely thankful for that support.”
We wish Nicki, Adam, Mark, Sam and Ollie all the best for the competition!
England men’s squad:
Liam Ansell (East Grinstead)
David Condon (East Grinstead)
Brendan Creed (Surbiton)
Adam Dixon (Beeston)
James Gall (Surbiton)
Harry Gibson (GK) (Surbiton)
Mark Gleghorne (Beeston)
David Goodfield (Surbiton)
Chris Griffiths (East Grinstead)
Harry Martin (Hampstead & Westminster)
Barry Middleton (Holcombe)
George Pinner (GK) (Holcombe)
Phil Roper (Wimbledon)
Liam Sanford (Reading)
Ian Sloan (Wimbledon)
Sam Ward (Beeston)
Henry Weir (Wimbledon)
Ollie Willars (Beeston)
Scotland ladies squad:
Amy Brodie (Edinburgh University)
Millie Brown (Clydesdale Western)
Nicki Cochrane (Beeston)
Kareena Cuthbert (C) (Western Wildcats)
Bex Condie (VC) (University of Birmingham)
Robyn Collins (Surbiton)
Amy Costello (University of Birmingham)
Mairi Drummond (Wimbledon)
Amy Gibson (Reading)
Ali Howie (Clydesdale Western)
Sarah Jamieson (Grove Menzieshill)
Lucy Lanigan (Clydesdale Western)
Nikki Alexander-Lloyd (Wimbledon)
Sarah Robertson (Hampstead and Westminster)
Katie Robertson (Grove Menzieshill)
Nicola Skrastin (Grove Menzieshill)
Becky Ward (Western Wildcats)
Charlotte Watson (Dundee Wanderers)
England Fixtures (UK Time)
Fri 6 April – Malaysia 12.30am
Sun 8 April – Pakistan 5.30am
Tue 10 April – Wales 5.30am
Wed 11 April – India 10.30am
Fri 13 April – Men’s Semi-Finals – 10.30am or 12.45pm
Sat 14 April – Men’s Bronze Medal Match – 10.00am
Sat 14 April – Men’s Final – 12.15pm