2014 Champions Trophy Preview: How will England's women fair in Argentina?

England women will head to Argentina for the 2014 Champions Trophy without a designated captain and minus a trio of influential senior squad members.

At face value, the current circumstances would seem far from ideal, yet after an impressive showing at Glasgow 2014, a strong squad will head to Mendoza full of confidence.

Captaincy will be left to a ‘senior leadership group’ within the squad and there is ample experience from the likes of Alex Danson, Hannah McLeod and Laura Unsworth to guide those newer to the international set-up.

The squad

England are without Helen Richardson-Walsh, Ashleigh Ball and Kate Richardson-Walsh, who between them have just short of 700 international caps.

Flair and tenacity will again be given in abundance from the talismanic Alex Danson, who will be looking to take her international goals tally past the 50 mark.

Helen Richardson-Walsh is recovering from back surgery, Ball continues her comeback from a knee operation while Kate Richardson-Walsh has taken some time away from the England Hockey centralised programme and was not in consideration for selection.

This has seen head coach Danny Kerry bring in Joie Leigh of Clifton and Shona McCallin of Slough, who have both been in good form for their clubs in the Investec Women’s Premier Division.

These players, in addition to those coming into their own at international level such as Sam Quek, Maddie Hinch and Georgie Twigg, make this England side an exciting prospect for the tournament.

Flair and tenacity will again be given in abundance from the talismanic Danson, who will be looking to take her international goals tally past the 50 mark.

The opposition

A tough group awaits England in Mendoza but in a tournament which includes only the top eight sides in the world, this will not come as a shock to the squad.

England are joined in Pool B by defending champions Argentina, Australia - who are ranked second in the world - and Germany.

Some squad members were involved in the last edition of the tournament in Argentina, representing Great Britain, and suffered defeat in the final to the hosts. The desire for revenge may very well provide some motivation.

Pool A hosts world number one the Netherlands as well as New Zealand, China and Japan and will ensure that the tough tests keep coming should England qualify for the latter stages.

Mendoza

The host city of Mendoza is situated on Argentina’s western border and sits just over 100 miles from Chile’s capital Santiago.

The city is now entering its summer months and will provide temperatures in the high 20s with humidity around 45 per cent.

Add to this a passionate and partisan crowd which will fill the Mendocina Hockey Stadium and the scene is set for what should be a fantastic tournament and advert for world hockey.