Jones And Shipperley Proud To Fly Welsh Flag In FIH Pro League

Sarah Jones and Rupert Shipperley believe there will be plenty more Welsh players to don the GB shirt over the coming years after four of the country’s athletes were selected for the opening 2020 FIH Pro League fixtures against Australia and New Zealand.

They will be joined by Leah Wilkinson and Jacob Draper as the team fly out to Brisbane this weekend before heading to Sydney the following week, where they will play their first games of the new season against Australia on 1-2 February. They will then head to Auckland to face New Zealand on 8-9 February.

Having been the only Welsh player in the senior programme when she made her GB debut in November 2018, Jones believes the ascension of her compatriots is very much deserved and knows this will give hope to many more waiting in the wings.

“I’m so proud to see Leah, Rupert and Jacob all on the trip,” the 29-year-old said. 

“It just shows how far Hockey Wales have come and Jacob and Rupert have so well to come in at this point in the cycle. Hopefully it’ll pave the way and show Welsh athletes that they can come in to the GB squad. 

“I do think there is a much clearer pathway into the senior squad now through the GB Elite Development Programme (EDP). I’m really proud to see them all in the squad.”

Having played 70 times for Wales since his debut in 2014, Shipperley is now set to make his Great Britain debut during the upcoming tour.

He only started training with the squad a few weeks before Christmas but impressed Danny Kerry and is now hoping to repay that faith by putting in some solid performances against two of the world’s toughest teams.

“It was really exciting to get the call,’ the Hampstead & Westminster player said. 

“You get the same feeling for any team you’re selected for, whether that’s your first hockey game at club level through to now, but it’s that little bit more special. I was really excited, really happy and really proud.

“Primarily I’m just focusing on nailing everything in Australia and New Zealand and playing well out there. But you can’t hide from the fact that the Olympics are just around the corner so that is another goal you want to set for yourself. 

“Really over the next few weeks though I’m just focusing on playing really well in Australia and New Zealand.”

Jones is also excited to get out on the pitch too having missed GB’s FIH Olympic Qualifiers against Chile due to illness.

She also cannot wait to experience the highly competitive nature of the FIH Pro League once again, having featured in 15 of GB’s 16 matches last year.

This trip will also be a particularly special one for her too as it will be the first time she plays for Great Britain alongside fiancé Leah Wilkinson.

The Holcombe midfielder said: “I’m really excited, it’s really nice to be back on the pitch with the girls. Coming back here, having two solid weeks of training and then getting out there and taking on some quality opposition in Australia and New Zealand, I can’t wait.

“The FIH Pro League was definitely completely different, playing one-off games or back-to-back games, and asked a lot of questions of us as a squad in terms of the way we prepare ourselves. It really gives us a great opportunity to be really on it for those one-off games.

“Leah and I have played for club and Wales together for a long time; being able to play with her is so special. It’s something so few people can do. 

“It’s an honour to pull on a GB shirt at any point but to do it with your other half is something we will remember for the rest of our lives and will be incredibly special.”