Blue and Gold back in Superleague action as Team Bath Netball start at Celtic Dragons
The wait is finally over – the Vitality Netball Superleague is back, bigger than before, and Team Bath Netball are raring to go.
After a positive pre-season that featured victory in their home tri-tournament and an impressive win against the touring South African international team, the Blue and Gold – sponsored by Sitec – get their 2017 league campaign under way with a visit to Celtic Dragons on Saturday (4pm).
The match, at the Sports Wales National Centre in Cardiff, is the first in a bumper 18-game regular season featuring ten franchises, two more than the 2016 campaign that saw Team Bath finish an encouraging third overall.
Six members of that squad – captain Eboni Beckford-Chambers, Samantha Cook, Mia Ritchie, Rachel Shaw, Laura Rudland and former Dragons shooter Chelsea Lewis – will line up for the Blue and Gold again this season, while University of Bath student Paige Reed has made the step up from Team Bath’s National Performance League.
They have been bolstered by the arrival of England defender Layla Guscoth, rising U21 Roses stars Jess Shaw and Imogen Allison, and Jamaican stars Vangelee Williams and Shantal Slater.
Well last session done before game dayyyy!&what a session it was! Setting the bar high demanding more from ourselfs &others! #blueidentity💙💛
— Rachel Shaw (@RachShaw123) February 16, 2017
After the Dragons match, the Blue and Gold will head to the Genting Arena in Birmingham on Saturday, February 25, for the showpiece Super Ten event featuring all of the franchises in one action-packed day. Team Bath are once again in the primetime 8pm slot, taking on Hertfordshire Mavericks in a match being shown live on Sky Sports.
The first home game of the season is on Monday, March 6, when Loughborough Lightning visit the Team Bath Arena in a match that is also part of the University of Bath’s 50th-anniversary celebrations.
Tickets for that game and all home matches are on sale priced £12 for adults, £8 concessions and £35 for a family ticket. To purchase, visit https://www.teambath.com/events/ticketline/ or call 0844 888 4412.
Team Bath Netball are sponsored by Sitec, Mogers Drewett are their Education Partners, Centurion Wealth Management are supporting the team’s performance analysis capabilities, Surridge are the kit supplier and Skins provide the team with compression wear.
Stay up to date with Team Bath Netball via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and keep in touch with all the Vitality Netball Superleague news, including live score updates, via the the new official app – download here for iPhones or Android.
