Fusion start their quest to retain their Women’s British League, Premier Division this weekend boasting an unchanged squad from the one which saw them edge out Drumchapel Glasgow last season.
Newly eligible England player Tianer Yu, currently No 7 in the rankings, is at the top of the order for the South London club and joins No 19 Tiana Dennison, Elena Todirca and Maria Engleson in the line-up.
Yu and Engelson had 80% win-rates in the averages last season and a similar showing is likely to give them a good platform to challenge again.
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Drumchapel have Poon Yat, currently No 3 in the Ratings list, as their spearhead and she is supported by No 11 Hannah Silcock of Jersey.
Yat will look to take on the mantle of Jiaqi Meng, who won all 20 matches last season to take Drumchapel to the verge of the title – they needed a 6-0 victory in their final match against Fusion to come out on top, but in the event could only manage a 4-2 victory.
Fusion can also expect a challenge from Ormesby, who are led by current and former England internationals in the shape of Mollie Patterson, who competed at the European Championships this year, and Karina Le Fevre, a two-time Commonwealth Games team member. A strong line-up is completed by top-20 players Ella Pashley and Rebecca Savage.
Of the other teams, Colebridge finished fourth last season and while they don’t have any top-30 seniors, they do have the No 1 Veteran, Sara Williams, along with Wales’ Lara Whitton and three talented English teenagers.
Dun Laoire and Halton are the newcomers to the top flight, and although neither has any current top-30 players, they will look to land some blows. They are led, respectively, by Mia O’Rahilly Egan and Scarlett Anders.
There will be 155 players in 38 teams in action at WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton. Click below to download the event programme.