Consistency the key for English hockey

Nicola White

HOCKEY: 

NICOLA White is geared up for what she believes will be an ‘emotional’ world cup tournament in The Hague from Saturday.

Jason Lee’s 18-strong England squad is expected to feature throughout the two-week tournament as a strong contender to win after a hugely-successful 2013.

England finished in third place at the world cup four years ago, and Oldhamer White, who now stars as a forward with leading outfit Leicester, feels her team is capable of winning this time.

She said: “The world cup is a long tournament, with tough opposition in every game. All teams will be peaking and it’s all about consistency. We’ll be aiming for gold as always, but to get this we have to finish in the top two in our group. I firmly believe we can.”

England’s first group stage game will be against the USA on Sunday. Also in the group are Argentina, China, Germany, South Africa, and the USA.

White (26) is experienced enough to be ready for the pressure that comes from televised competition.

“All the hard work has been done and you have to trust in each other,” she said. “There will be some nerves, but we thrive in high-pressure environments.”