THIS is an important year for Scotland's senior women's international
squad, who contest the finals of the European Nations Cup in Amsterdam
in June, hoping to improve upon fifth place four years ago.
They are pitched into international competition within a week of the
end of the indoor season and this weekend travel south for two matches
with England, the European champions, but coach Neil Menzies is not
worried about the lack of outdoor competition.
He is quick to point out: ''We took them on in similar circumstances
last season and beat them on both occasions.'' But he expects England to
be stronger, as they have a much larger squad in training, many of whom
were in the British squad which returned recently from San Diego.
There were six Scots on that trip but one of them, Diane Renilson,
fast emerging as one of the top defenders in Britain, has pulled out of
this weekend's venture with a broken finger in her right hand, sustained
in last weekend's European Indoor Club Championship. She will be
replaced by Alison Denholm of Western Klick Photopoint.
Captain Margery Coutts has retired after 96 caps, but the squad has a
good blend of experience and youth, including five players groomed last
season -- Denholm, Helen Walker, Susan Gilmour, Fiona MacInnes, and
Louise Burton.
Scotland have beaten England in their past three internationals and
there will be no lack of confidence in the squad.
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