Celtic Dragons have made a late change to the Vitality Netball Superleague squad with the season starting next month.
Shooter Chelsea Lewis and her partner, Adam, are expecting their first child in May of this year and is ruled out for the 2020 season.
Her position in the squad has been filled by former Loughborough Lightning and England Futures shooter, Brittany Coleman.
Rhian Evans, from the CTK club, Afan Nedd Tawe, has also moved from Celtic Dragons under-19 squad to become a training partner with the Superleague team.
“We are all so pleased for Chelsea and Adam as they embark on this incredible new adventure and we wish them all the best leading up to the big day,” says head coach Tania Hoffman.
https://twitter.com/celtic_dragons/status/1215649748104945664?s=20
“It means the configuration of our squad changes slightly, but we are fortunate to have a player of Britt’s quality and experience to call on. Along with Amy Clinton, Rebekah Robinson and Rhian Evans, we exciting young talent in the shooting circle as we enter the 2020 season.”
Dragons have also called up Annie O’Rourke, who was 2019 Bath under-19 captain, in place of Leila Thomas, who has withdrawn from the squad due to academic commitments.
Wales international Thomas, from Blaenavon, is studying BSc Biological Science at Cardiff University and Hoffman said: “Leila is a great netballer and will be missed, but we wish her the best with her studies.”
“I am looking forward to the season with a new-look Celtic Dragons squad. Our squad has undergone changes since the Fast 5 competition, but our squad contains lots of international experience at senior and age group level plus exciting young players from across the netball world.
“We are a comparatively young side, but this enthusiastic group of players is embracing the task ahead with teamwork and a collaborative spirit which is truly refreshing.”
https://twitter.com/BolakoroDee/status/1215313390815666177?s=20
Celtic Dragons 2020 Squad:
Shooters: Amy Clinton, Rhian Evans, Brittany Coleman, Rebekah Robinson
Midcourt: Sophie Morgan, Shona O’Dwyer, Paige Kindred, Eleri Michael, Laura Burton
Defence: Dee Bolakoro, Abby Tyrrell, Latanya Wilson, Lucy Howells, Annie O’Rourke
Rebekah Robinson and Latanya Wilson have returned to Wales from Jamaica with the start of the season just six weeks away.
Robinson and Wilson, Dragons’ two 2020 import players, have already made a big impression in the green dress, helping the team to the semi-finals of the 2019 British Fast 5 All-Stars tournament.
It will be an exciting few weeks for Wilson in particular, because she is in Jamaica’s Vitality Nations Cup squad.
Dragons entertain Knights men’s netball for a friendly this weekend, while they also have a fixture against England’s under-21 team.
https://twitter.com/KnightsNetball/status/1215603730395160577?s=20
Their pre-season preparations will culminate in a tri-tournament featuring Team Bath and London Pulse over the weekend of February 8 and February 9 at Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre.
“We’re starting 2020 with a bang and the squad is going to be extremely busy with a range of training matches and pre-season games,” says Hoffman.
“It is wonderful to have Rebekah and Latanya back with us and the squad has given them a great ‘croeso’ back to Wales. It’s particularly exciting to see that Latanya has broken through into the Sunshine Girls squad for the Nations Cup.”
Credit: ©Steve Pope
Sportingwales
Vitality Netball Superleague
Celtic Dragons fixtures 2020 (19 regular season rounds)
Home fixtures at the Sport Wales National Centre, Cardiff unless stated
February
Saturday 22: Celtic Dragons v Surrey Storm (Arena Birmingham, 12.45pm)
Saturday 29: Celtic Dragons v Team Bath (Viola Arena, 4pm)
March
Monday 9: London Pulse v Celtic Dragons (Copper Box Arena, 7pm)
Monday 16: Celtic Dragons v Strathclyde Sirens (Sports Wales National Centre, 7pm)
Saturday 21: Manchester Thunder v Celtic Dragons (Belle Vue, 5pm)
Saturday 28: Celtic Dragons v Saracens Mavericks (Sports Wales National Centre, 4pm)
April
Monday 6: Severn Stars v Celtic Dragons (Gloucester University, 7pm)
Friday 10: Loughborough Lightning v Celtic Dragons (Sir David Wallace Arena, 7pm)
Monday 13: Celtic Dragons v Loughborough Lightning (Sport Wales National Centre, 7pm)
Saturday 18: Surrey Storm v Celtic Dragons (Surrey Sports Park, 6pm)
Saturday 25: Celtic Dragons v Wasps (Viola Arena, 4pm)
Wednesday 29: Team Bath v Celtic Dragons (Team Bath Arena, 7.30pm)
May
Saturday 2: Celtic Dragons v London Pulse (Viola Arena, 4pm)
Saturday 9: Strathclyde Sirens v Celtic Dragons (Emirates Arena, 2pm)
Saturday 16: Celtic Dragons v Manchester Thunder (Sport Wales National Centre, 4pm)
Saturday 23: Saracens Mavericks v Celtic Dragons (Hertfordshire Sports Village, 4pm)
Saturday 30: Celtic Dragons v Severn Stars (Sport Wales National Centre, 4pm)
June
Saturday 6: Celtic Dragons v Surrey Storm (Viola Arena, 4pm)
Monday 15: Wasps v Celtic Dragons (University of Warwick, 7pm)
Saturday 27: Knockout semi-finals (Venue to be confirmed)
July
Saturday 4: Grand final (Venue to be confirmed, 5.30pm)