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Preview: Netball Europe Open Championships

The 2017 Netball Europe Open Championships is only days away and will feature the best sides Europe has to offer as well as a traveling Fiji Pearls side. Here is our preview.

England

Defending champions and world number 3 England, have been busy in the past month or so competing at the Quad Series and the Taini Jamison Trophy in Australia and New Zealand. They have since returned back to the Northern Hemisphere and many of the squad featured in the British Fast5 All Stars event that took place in the o2 in London. A squad featuring youth and experience will travel to Cardiff.

Fiji

For the first time, Fiji have been welcomed to play in Wales. This will be an important tournament for the Pearls as they’ve recently slipped in the INF World Rankings, being leapfrogged by the hosts, Wales. Fiji’s last outing was a 2-0 series defeat by a very good South African side. Fiji Pearls, however, are the third highest ranked team in the competition and will want to impress on their first visit to the Welsh capital.

Northern Ireland

Ranked 10 in the INF World Rankings, Northern Ireland will play hosts Wales in the opening game of the tournament on Thursday. They then play England on Friday night,  Fiji on Saturday morning before finishing off with a game against Scotland on Sunday. Northern Ireland will be captained by Caroline O’Hanlon.

Scotland

A blend of youth and experience exists within the Scotland squad. Four key players during Scotland’s Netball World Youth Cup campaign have been included in the senior squad. Kelly Boyle, Bethan Goodwin, Niamh McCall and Sarah MacPhail all continue to impress following the tournament in Gaborone earlier in July.

Wales

The hosts, who have recently reached their highest position in the INF World Rankings, will want to impress in front of the home crowd. The rankings are very close between Wales and Fiji, therefore their match on Friday evening will be an intriguing watch. Wales close the tournament against neighbors England on Sunday.

Fixtures

Thursday, October 5th

Scotland v Fiji – 4.30pm

Wales v Northern Ireland – 6.30pm

Friday, October 6th

England v Scotland – 12pm

Fiji v Wales – 6pm

England v Northern Ireland – 8pm

Saturday, October 7th

Fiji v Northern Ireland – 10.30am

Wales v Scotland – 4pm

England v Fiji – 6pm

Sunday, October 8th

Scotland v Northern Ireland – 10am

England v Wales – 12pm

Squads

England
Northern Ireland
Scotland
Wales
Sasha Corbin
Kyla Bowman
Kelly
Boyle
Suzy Drane
Natalie Haythornthwaite
Lisa Bowman
Claire
Brownie
Kelly
Morgan
Natalie Panagarry
Niamh Cooper
Ella Gibbons
Georgia Rowe
Summer Artman
Michelle Drayne
Bethan Goodwin
Chelsea Lewis
Eleanor Cardwell
Gemma Lawlor
Lynsey Gallagher
Eleanor Roberts
Sohpie Drakeford-Lewis
Noleen Lennon
Niamh McCall
Sarah
Llewelyn
George Fisher
Michelle Magee
Nicola McCleery
Cara Lea Moseley
Jodie
Gibson
Oonagh McCullough
Sarah
MacPhail
Kyra Jones
Josie
Huckle
Sarah
Montogomery
Hayley Malheron
Clare
Jones
Leah
Kennedy
Caroline O'Hanlon
Samantha Murphy
Bethan Dyke
Gabriella Marshall
Fionnuala Toner
Emily
Nicholl
Amanda Varey
Vicki
Oyesola
Neamh Woods
Jo Pettitt
Nia Jones
Leila Thomas
Christina Shaw
Fern Davies

*Fiji squad not publicly announced as of yet.

Netball Europe Open Championships will be live-streamed for free on Netball Europe YouTube page (found here) and will be shared across all INF social media platforms.

(Photo credit – England Netball)

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